Thousands protest COVID-19 restrictions in European capitals
In several European capital cities, protesters came out in droves to demonstrate against COVID-19 measures and restrictions - the latest in a series of protests that have taken place in Europe over virus protocols.
From Paris to Athens to Stockholm to London to Helsinki, thousands of people on Saturday took to the streets to protest various COVID-19 protocols, The Associated Press reported.
Roughly 4,000 people participated in protests in Sweden's capital, Stockholm, and its second largest city, Goteborg, on Saturday to protest a requirement that indoor events including over 50 people must require vaccine certificates, according to the wire service.
By late afternoon on Saturday, there were no reported major incidents in Stockholm, though local reports noted the presence of neo-Nazi Nordic Resistance Movement members, the AP reported.
Meanwhile, in the Finnish capital of Helsinki, there were also no immediate reports of violence after approximately 4,000 people demonstrated during the day against local and regional COVID-19 restrictions - such as mandating vaccine passes for events and restaurants and transitioning colleges to remote learning - that were instituted at the behest of the government.
Paris, in addition to other cities in France, also saw demonstrations on Saturday, with people protesting against a more aggressive COVID-19 pass to be instituted starting Monday. The AP noted that cinemas, bars, in-country flights and bars are among a number of places in France that will not allow people who are unvaccinated from entering under the measure.
France previously employed a vaccine pass that required residents to show proof of vaccination, a negative COVID-19 test or recent recovery of COVID-19 in order to enter certain public places.
