Thousands in Brussels protests against COVID restrictions

BRUSSELS (AP) — Thousands of peaceful protesters demonstrated in central Brussels on Sunday for a third time against reinforced COVID-19 restrictions imposed by Belgian government to counter a spike infections and emergence of worrying omicron variant.

A strong police presence was deployed on streets in anticipation of crowds, given how previous protests h sometimes descended into violence, arrest and injury.

marchers — some with placards reing “free zone,” “I've h my fair dose” and “enough is enough” — came to protest government’s strong vice to get vaccinated, and included Belgian health care workers who will have a three-month window in which to get vaccinated against coronavirus from Jan. 1 or risk losing ir jobs.

Belgian action comes one day after similar protests in or capitals including Paris and London. Nations across Europe moved to reimpose tougher measures to stem a new wave of COVID-19 infections spurred by highly transmissible omicron variant, with Nerlands leing way by imposing a nationwide lockdown.

World Health Organization reported this weekend that omicron variant of coronavirus has been detected in 89 countries, and COVID-19 cases involving variant are doubling every 1.5 to 3 days in places with community transmission and not just infections acquired abro.

In a Brussels demonstration last month, small fringes spiraled into violence as several hundred people started pelting police, smashing cars and setting garbage bins ablaze. Police responded with tear gas and water cannons.