Hundreds of protesters have gathered in cities across the city Germany Demonstrating against the government’s COVID restrictions and imminent discussions on compulsory vaccination.
Protesters took to the streets of cities including BerlinGermany faced another surge in Covid cases after Cologne and Leipzig protested on Monday evening Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s decision to tighten restrictions.
The protests come as lawmakers in the Bundestag are set to debate whether to follow Austria and make vaccines mandatory for Germans.
Rostock, Germany: Hundreds of demonstrators have gathered in cities across Germany to demonstrate against the government’s COVID restrictions and a discussion on compulsory vaccination.
Rostock, Germany: Police officers in riot gear are seen forming a line in an attempt to stop a group of protesters from moving on the streets in Rostock on Monday night.
Leipzig, Germany: A riot police officer (left) stands against a demonstrator to protest right-wing participation in the anti-vaccination movement on Monday night
Police officers in riot gear were seen forming a line in Rostock on Monday night in an attempt to prevent a group of protesters from proceeding on the streets.
In other cities such as Frankfurt and Lübeck, protests remained largely peaceful on Monday night.
Last week, thousands took to the streets in German cities and towns, with police reporting sporadic violence in demonstrations.
The protests followed a decision by Chancellor Scholz and 16 state governors on Friday to tighten requirements for entry to restaurants and bars.
building leaders Restrictions introduced just after Christmas limited private gatherings to 10 people and effectively closed nightclubs.
People have already been required to show proof of full vaccination or recovery for some time to enter restaurants and bars – as well as many non-essential shops, theaters and cinemas.
Cologne, Germany: Hundreds of vaccine skeptics gathered in front of the Dom Cathedral on Monday night
Brunswick, Germany: Protesters join a demonstration on Monday night against coronavirus restrictions and compulsory vaccination
Bonn, Germany: People protest a walk during the weekly Monday evening protest against vaccine mandates and coronavirus-related restrictions
Friday’s decision asked restaurants and bars to meet the requirements. Customers must either show that they have received a booster shot or provide a negative test result on top of proof that they have been vaccinated or cured.
Berlin Mayor Franziska Giffie told reporters, “Half the population will be increased in a few days…” and will be able to go to restaurants without being tested. ‘It’s an added incentive to get the booster.’
Nevertheless, the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt said it would not introduce the new rule for now because its cases mostly still involved the delta version, and Bavaria said it was skeptical.
Scholz and the governor also agreed to reduce the period of quarantine or self-isolation, which is currently longer, to 14 days, something that many other countries have already done.
Those who have received boosters will no longer have to go into quarantine after being exposed to cases of coronavirus, and neither will those who have been fully vaccinated or cured in the past three months.
all others can end their quarantine or self-isolation period after 10 days if they have – or no longer have – symptoms; Which can be cut for seven days after testing negative.
“These are strict rules, but they are practical and relax existing rules,” Scholz said.
Frankfurt, Germany: Protesters join a demonstration on Monday against coronavirus restrictions and compulsory vaccination
Cologne, Germany: Hundreds of vaccine skeptics gathered on Monday night to protest the official Corona policy
The COVID-19 situation in Germany has been bleak for the past two weeks due to very poor testing and slow reporting over the holiday period. Official figures, which officials acknowledged do not yet show the full picture, have shown a steady rise in the infection rate over the past week.
The country recorded 49,279 cases on Sunday, an increase of more than 20,000 infections compared with a week ago.
The impending vaccination mandate has been a rallying point for vocal anti-vaccine campaigners, who have participated in protests against Germany’s pandemic restrictions. Some recent demonstrations have turned violent, with protesters attacking police officers after they were ordered to disperse.
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said he did not want to speculate about when the vaccine might be effective, but acknowledged it may be too late to prevent the latest highly contagious version of the virus from taking hold.
“With mandatory vaccination, we won’t really be able to aggressively stop the oomicron wave that we’re going through right now,” Lauterbach told public broadcaster ARD.
“What we’ll be able to do with mandatory vaccination, so I remain a clear supporter of a vaccine mandate, should avoid facing the same problem in the fall that could be more dangerous,” he said.
About 72% of Germans are considered ‘fully vaccinated’, while 42.3% have received an additional booster shot.
Protesters continue to protest across Europe over COVID restrictions and mandatory vaccinations, with protests over the weekend.
In Austria, riot police saw hundreds of furious protesters marching through the streets of Vienna to protest the country’s COVID restrictions.
Marches were also seen in Paris and Magdeburg, Germany, as thousands came together to protest what are considered overly strict restrictions and mandatory vaccinations.