Tens of thousands protest Belgiums tighter COVID-19 rules – PBS NewsHour

BRUSSELS Ten of thousands of people demonstrated through central Brussels on Sunday to protest reinforced COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the Belgian government to counter the latest spike in coronaviruscases.

Many among the police estimate of 35,000 at the rally had already left for home when the demonstration descended into violence as several hundred people started pelting police, smashing cars and setting garbage bins ablaze. Police, responded with tear gas and water cannons and sought to restore order as dusk settled on the Belgian capital.

Three police officials and one demonstrator were injured in the clashes. In addition, 42 protesters were detained and two were arrested and charged in the violent spree that followed the march, said police spokesperson Ilse Vande Keere.

The marchers came to protest the governments strong advice to get vaccinated and any possible moves to impose mandatory shots.

Shouting Freedom! Freedom! Freedom! and singing the anti-fascist song Bella Ciao, protesters lined up behind a huge banner saying Together for Freedom and marched to the European Union headquarters. Amid the crowd, the signs varied from far-right insignia to the rainbow flags of the LGBT community.

The World Health Organization said last week thatEurope was the hot spot of the pandemic right now,the only region in which COVID-19 deaths were rising. The autumn surge of infections is overwhelming hospitals in many Central and Eastern European nations, includingUkraine,Russia,Romania,the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Over the past several days, there have been manyanti-vaccination marches in European nationsas one government after another tightened measures. Dutch policearrested more than 30 peopleduring unrest in The Hague and other towns in the Netherlands on Saturday, following much worse violence the previous night.

Austria is going into a 10-day national lockdown on Mondayfor everyone after first imposing a lockdown on the unvaccinated. Christmas markets in Vienna were packed Sunday with locals and tourists taking in the holiday sights before shops and food stalls are forced to close.

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Tens of thousands protest Belgiums tighter COVID-19 rules - PBS NewsHour