Thousand of protesters in Berlin came out on streets to protest against covid-19 restrictions enforced by the German government. Complaining about social distancing restrictions, the protesters enchanted “We are free people” and “We are the second wave” in unison.
The restrictions were imposed by the government in the country following recent surge in coronavirus infection that has claimed hundreds of thousand lives worldwide.
Protesters marched from the landmark Brandenburg Gate through central Berlin before holding a rally on a wide boulevard. Police then dismissed the rally, saying that the organizers didn’t follow required safety and health measures.
According to Twitter post by the Berlin police, more than 17,000 people attended the protest and a legal action has been taken against the organizers for not abiding by the guidelines issued by the government.
Many protestors were observed without masks and disregarded social distancing measures. Some even condemend people for wearing masks, asking them to reove them. The protesters carrried slogans reading “Stop corona instantly,” while some were seen in T-shirts that had “Corona = fake news” printed on them.
Some of the protesters even danced on the tune of rock band queen’s “We Will Rock You.”
Meanwhile, more than 18 police officers were reportedly injured as they tried to break up the rally demonstrating against coronavirus. Three of the officers were being treated in hospital, Berlin police tweeted. It had deployed over 1,000 officers to monitor the rally and disperse the crowd.
Calling them ‘covidiots’, German Health Minister Jens Spahn criticized people who attended the protest, for failing to observe health regulations, while underlining their right to protest.
“Yes, demonstrations should be allowed even amid the pandemic. But not like this,” Spahn tweeted, adding that social distancing, health and safety rules and wearing face masks serve to protect everyone amid the pandemic.
According to the Worldometer, Germany has reported more than 211,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus while 9,226 people have lost their lives to it.
