BRUSSELS —
Police fired water cannons and thick clouds of tear fuel in Brussels on Sunday to disperse demonstrators protesting COVID-19 vaccinations and restrictions that intention to curb the fast-spreading Omicron variant.
The protest drew 1000's of individuals, some touring from France, Germany and different nations to participate. Protesters yelled “Liberty!” as they marched. Demonstrators additionally marched in Barcelona, Spain.
The protests adopted demonstrations in different European capitals on Saturday that additionally drew 1000's of protesters towards vaccine passports and different necessities that European governments have imposed because the Omicron variant causes surging every day coronavirus infections and hospitalizations.
In Brussels, white-helmeted police riot officers repeatedly charged after protesters who ignored directions to disperse. Police water cannon vans fired highly effective jets and snaking trails of fuel stuffed the air within the Belgian capital.
A protest chief broadcasting over a loudspeaker yelled, “Come on, individuals! Don’t allow them to take away your rights,” as cops confronted off towards demonstrators who hurled projectiles and insults.
“Go to hell!” shouted one protester sporting a faux knight’s helmet with a colourful quiff.
Some protesters harassed a video crew protecting the march for the Related Press, pushing and threatening the journalists and damaging their video tools. One protester kicked one of many journalists and one other tried to punch him.
In downtown Barcelona, protesters wore costumes and waved banners studying, “It’s not a pandemic, it’s a dictatorship,” as they marched towards restrictions imposed by nationwide and regional authorities to curb a surge in COVID-19 circumstances fueled by the Omicron variant.
Individuals included individuals rejecting vaccines and those that deny the existence or gravity of the virus that causes COVID-19. Few donned face masks, that are at present obligatory outdoor in Spain. Police mentioned 1,100 individuals attended the demonstration.
Spain, a rustic of 47 million, has formally recorded greater than 9 million coronavirus circumstances, though the true quantity is believed to be a lot greater. Practically 92,000 individuals have died in Spain because the starting of the pandemic.
With greater than 80% of Spain’s residents vaccinated, consultants and authorities have credited the photographs for having saved quite a few lives and the whole collapse of its public well being system.
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Comply with all AP tales on the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
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