Thousands protest COVID-19 health pass in France Reuters

Authors: Lea Guedj and Yiming Woo

PARIS (Reuters)-Thousands of people protested in Paris and other cities in France on Saturday to oppose the mandatory coronavirus health pass introduced by the government in the fight against the fourth wave of infections to enter various public places.

A police spokesperson said the protesters injured three policemen in Paris. Interior Minister Gerald Dammanen said on Twitter that 19 demonstrators were arrested, 10 of whom were in Paris.

This is the third consecutive weekend that people opposed to President Emmanuel Macron’s new COVID-19 measures have taken to the streets. This is a time when many people are focused on summer vacation throughout the year. An unusual determination.

Since the beginning of the protests, the number of demonstrators has grown steadily, which echoes the “yellow vest” campaign against fuel taxes and the cost of living that began at the end of 2018.

An Interior Ministry official stated that 204,090 people have demonstrated across France, of which 14,250 were in Paris alone. This is an increase of approximately 40,000 from last week.

“We are creating an apartheid society, and I think it is incredible to do so in a human rights country,” said Anne, a teacher who demonstrated in Paris. She refused to disclose her last name.

“So I took to the streets; I have never protested in my life. I think our freedom is in danger.”

If visitors to museums, cinemas, or swimming pools cannot show a health pass proving that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or the most recent test result is negative, they have been denied entry.

Parliament approved a new law this week that will compel health workers to vaccinate and extend health pass requirements to bars, restaurants, trade shows, trains and hospitals.

Approximately 3,000 police officers were deployed in the capital, and riot police worked hard to keep demonstrators on authorized routes.

The authorities tried to avoid a repeat of last week’s incident, when police and demonstrators broke out in a scuffle on the Champs Elysées.

Protesters also chanted “Freedom!” and “Health Pass No!” in other cities such as Marseille, Lyon, Montpellier, Nantes and Toulouse.