France Saturday: 105,000 protest vaccine, 303,669 get Covid-19

French President Emmanuel Macron made waves recently when he came out hard against unvaccinated people saying that he would make life harder for them and “piss off” those who refused inoculation as it hurts the society as a whole. Yesterday, over 100,000 people came out to protest the government restricting the rights of people who refuse a vaccine all across France. At the same time, hundreds of thousands were diagnosed with Covid-19 in France’s growing pandemic.

Anti-vaxxers had held a previous protest on December 18 which drew about 25,500 people according to government estimates, 4 times less than this new vaccine protest. The numbers grew as the government has introduced new legislation in the face of mounting daily Covid-19 infection figures that would favour vaccinated people and restrict access to many events, venues, and services for those who refuse a vaccine.

The bill passed the lower house of Parliament in France on Thursday and still has to make it through the Senate, but new restrictions that would require people to prove they are vaccinated before being allowed to travel on trains, attend cultural events, or even eat out in restaurants could go into effect as soon as January 15.

Authorities at the Ministry of Interior estimated about 18,000 people marching in protest against a vaccine mandate in Paris with clashes leading to 10 arrests and 3 police officers receiving minor injuries. Demonstrators in the city fought through a cold rainy day to turn up in large numbers to the protest, largely unmasked, with signs reading “no to vaccine passes” and the single word “truth”. In Montpelier, police used tear gas during skirmishes that grew agitated, while 6,000 protesters were out in Toulon.

Around the rest of the country, officials estimate about 105,200 people against the vaccine joined in the protest, with seven minor injuries to police officers and 24 arrests total across the nation. While that number seems pretty significant for a large protest, it is only a third of the number of people who were diagnosed with having a Covid-19 infection on the same day.

Hospitals throughout France are feeling the strain of increased Covid-19 numbers and yesterday’s 303,669 new infections only further pressured a medical system already worn dangerously thin.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post