European capitals hit by anti-COVID curbs protests

 https://www.aljazeera.com

Protesters angry with coronavirus restrictions have staged rallies in a number of European cities, days after the Netherlands was rocked by anti-curfew riots.

In Brussels, Belgian police on Sunday arrested many protesters at a non-authorised demonstration against measures aimed at combating the spread of COVID-19, including a nighttime curfew and the closing of bars and restaurants.

Belgium has registered one of the highest death rates in the world during the coronavirus pandemic, but restrictions introduced in October have brought infection and hospital cases down in the past two months.

Meanwhile, police dispersed protesters at a demonstration in Hungary’s capital, Budapest, where workers in the country’s struggling hospitality sector demanded civil disobedience and a rethinking of lockdown restrictions.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government has said it could only start easing the measures if the number of cases falls sharply, or if large numbers of Hungarians are inoculated.

Hungary, with a population of some 10 million, had reported a total of 367,586 cases as of Sunday and 12,524 deaths. New infections have been dropping but more than 3,500 people are still in hospital.

In Austria’s capital, Vienna, protesters faced off with police in riot gear at the site of a banned far-right demonstration against coronavirus curbs. Among the reported participants were well-known far-right figures.

Authorities had outlawed numerous protests planned for this weekend, including one by the far-right Freedom Party on Sunday, on the grounds that protesters have generally failed to observe rules on physical distancing and often not worn face masks.

Since December 26, Austria has been in its third national lockdown, with non-essential shops and many other businesses closed and their staff unable to work.

In Amsterdam, some 30 people were arrested when Dutch police disbursed a protest against lockdown measures as authorities sought to prevent a repeat of the riots that raged across cities for three days last week.

Police said they had sent home about 600 people who had flouted physical distancing rules and ignored a nationwide ban on public gatherings by assembling in Amsterdam’s central Museumplein. There were no reports of violent incidents by late afternoon on Sunday.

Hungary: Protesters at Heroes' Square in Budapest rally against the coronavirus containment measures and their economic effect. [Bernadett Szabo/Reuters]

Hungary: Most protesters in the capital wore masks but defied rules that ban public gathering, so police started asking for documents on the scene. [Bernadett Szabo/Reuters]

Belgium: Demonstrators take part in an unauthorised rally near the Brussels Central Station in the capital. [Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP]

Belgium: 'We remind you that there is no authorisation to come and demonstrate this Sunday,' the Brussels police said on Twitter. 'Those people who still intend to demonstrate in Brussels today will be approached, dissuaded from staying and if necessary' arrested, it added. [Olivier Hoslet/EPA]

Austria: People in the capital, Vienna, take part in a demonstration against the ongoing restrictions related to the pandemic. [Georg Hochmuth/APA/AFP]

Austria: The crowd, which police estimated at 5,000, gathered on a square in central Vienna across the central ring road from the former imperial palace and government offices. Rows of police in riot gear and face masks prevented the crowd from marching down the ring road. [Alex Halada/AFP]

The Netherlands: Police in Amsterdam disbursed a protest as authorities sought to prevent a repeat of the riots that raged across cities for three days last week. [Reuters]

The Netherlands: The addition of a nighttime curfew to an already broad lockdown triggered last week's violent demonstrations. Shops were looted in several cities and 500 people were arrested. [Reuters]