FRANCE: THOUSANDS GATHER IN TROCADERO SQUARE TO PROTEST AGAINST COVID-19 PASSES

Sat 24 July 2021:

A large demonstration against COVID-19 passes is taking place In the French capital, Trocadero Square.

The rally was initiated by Florian Philippot, the founder of the right-wing Patriots party and a former National Rally member, who intends to run in the presidential election in 2022.

The protesters are holding French flags and placards that say “Freedom.”

Similar protests are being held in the city of Marseille, national media reported, adding that demonstrators are singing the national anthem and chanting “Freedom.”

French President Emmanuel Macron announced earlier in July a series of new restrictions to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Starting August, restaurants, bars, shopping centers, airplanes and long-distance trains will require a special pass indicating that a person has either been vaccinated or has a negative test result for COVID-19.

From Wednesday, the pass is already required when visiting museums, theaters, cinemas, festivals, concerts and amusement parks. Additionally, the French leader has introduced mandatory vaccination for French healthcare workers.

Large-scale protests swept through many cities across France last weekend. Another rally is scheduled for Sunday.

French health pass

Legislators in France’s senate are debating the bill on Saturday after the lower house of parliament approved it on Friday.

French virus infections are spiking and hospitalisations are rising anew.

The government is trying to speed up vaccination to protect vulnerable populations and hospitals and avoid new lockdowns.

Most French adults are fully vaccinated and polls indicate a majority of French people support the new measures.

But not everyone. Protesters chanting “Liberty! Liberty!” marched through Paris in one of multiple demonstrations planned on Saturday.

Last weekend, more than 100,000 people protested across France against the measures.

They included far-right politicians and activists as well as some others angry at President Emmanuel Macron for various reasons.

Remaining members of France’s yellow vest movement, largely from political extremes, are also using the virus bill to try to rekindle its flame.

The movement started in 2018 as a broad uprising against perceived economic injustice and led to months of protests marked by violence between demonstrators and police, but subsided after the French government addressed many of the protesters’ concerns.

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