A wave of protests against coronavirus restrictions is sweeping across Europe.
Despite the easing of lockdown measures in many countries there’s a growing frustration with the economic impact.
For many life has become unbearable and they’re now more emboldened in pushing for a speedy return to normal.
Police in London have arrested 19 people for deliberately breaking social distancing guidelines to protest against the rules, as demonstrations against coronavirus lockdown measures swept across Europe.
The Metropolitan Police said a group in central London’s Hyde Park had been protesting about the Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and had failed to comply with repeated requests to disperse.
In Germany, thousands of people across the country took to the streets on Saturday to protest against restrictions.
Germany’s death toll from the virus has been lower than most of its European neighbours and some lockdown measures have already been relaxed.
However, protests against the measures Chancellor Angela Merkel insists are needed to slow down the coronavirus outbreak have become more vocal and demonstrators have filled the streets for the second weekend in a row.
Derided on social media as “covidiots” who risk causing a second wave of infections that could lead to a tightening of restrictions, protesters staged demonstrations at several locations across the capital Berlin and the surrounding state of Brandenburg.
Dozens of people, including a senator, were detained during a protest of business owners in the Polish capital against restrictions brought in to tackle the new coronavirus.
Warsaw police used tear gas against protesters, intervening in the demonstration after the city’s administrators claimed the gathering was illegal because it had not been previously approved.
Jacek Bury, a senator for the opposition Civic Platform party, said he was hurt by police when trying to defend another protester.
Police said in a statement that public gatherings were still banned under government restrictions.
Read more here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-17/protests-against-coronavirus-lockdown-in-uk-and-europe-covid-19/12256802
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