Germany: Thousands flock to Berlin's streets to protest against govt's COVID restrictions

Despite a ban against garings in wake of coronavirus pandemic, thousands of protesters on Saturday took to streets in Germany, demonstrating against government’s COVID measures in capital city Berlin. Many protesters were detained as y clashed with police, according to a report by Associated Press (AP). "We are people!," chanted protestors while making ir way through Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg and Mitte neighbourhoods, police told AP. Police furr said that y h banned nine planned demonstrations for Saturday, including one from Stuttgart-based Querdenker movement, considered as most visible anti-lockdown movement in country. 

More than 2,000 police officers were deployed to stop protest

However, a court h permitted for one event, planned for 500 people, on weekends, but thousands ignored bans and participated in demonstrations raising ir voices against government's measures. Berlin’s police department deployed more than 2,000 police officers were deployed around capital city to stop protest. local German media reported that police also resorted to pepper spray to disperse a crowd unwilling to leave once protest h ended. Meanwhile, a counter-protest complete with techno music drew a crowd of several thousand as well, who backed government's restrictions to contain spre of virus and opposed Querdenker movement. However, counter-protesters were also sent back by police as crowd became too big to allow for social distancing, reported AP.

Protests came a month before country's federal election

Saturday protests came a month before federal election, with several contesting candidates promising to dispense with strict lockdowns on country. Germany eased many of its coronavirus curbs in May, including reopening restaurants and bars. However, amid concerns over rising cases of Delta variant, country reported 10,303 new cases and 22 fatalities on Saturday, bringing death toll to 92,096, reported AP. It should be mentioned here that similar protests took place in Berlin at beginning of month, which also ended in clashes with police. Following this, Wolfgang Schäuble, president of Germany’s parliament, h sharply criticized Querdenker movement.

(With Inputs from AP)

(Image Credits: AP)