Protests Rage AcrossEurope as Lockdown,Vaccination MandatesStart

Anti-lockdown and anti-vaccine-passport protests erupted acrossEurope on July 24, according tomedia photos and videos.

Thousands upon thousands ofdemonstrators came out in London,Dublin, Paris, Rome, Athens, and othercities across Europe, according tofootage and news reports.

The demonstrations in Franceappeared to be the most tense, withriot police firing tear gas as clasheserupted in central Paris.

Police sought to push backdemonstrators near the capital’s GareSaint-Lazare railway station afterprotesters knocked over a policemotorbike ridden by two officers,news footage showed. Scufflesbetween police and demonstratorsalso broke out at the Champs-Elysees thoroughfare, where tear gaswas fired and traffic was halted, itshowed.

France’s Interior Ministry said thatabout 160,000 people partook in theprotests on July 24—sharply up from114,000 the previous week, Reutersreported.

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The reason for the protest, in part,was due to pending legislation inFrance’s Parliament that would set upa vaccine passport system as well asa vaccination mandate for all healthcare workers. The passport bill wouldforce people to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative testresult to enter restaurants and otherpublic areas—which critics havedescribed as needlessly draconian.

Protesters railed against theproposed legislation, saying, “‘No’ toshameful pass,” while denigratingFrench President Emmanuel Macronas a “tyrant.”

“We need to wait a little bit before theFrench people can decide. … I think apart of France is always going to beunwilling, and that blackmail andthreats won’t work,” protester AyoubBouglia, an engineer, told TheAssociated Press.

Thousands of Italian demonstratorsgathered in Rome, Naples, Verona,and Milan on July 24, according tovideos and photos published online.

In Verona, thousands chanted, “NoGreen Pass,” referring to the Italiangovernment’s decision to implement avaccine-passport-like system forpeople to enter local fairs, stadiums,theaters, and other gathering areas.

Protesters hold placards and banners during ademonstration against France’s COVID-19restrictions in Paris on July 24, 2021. (BenoitTessier /Reuters)

Also on July 24, demonstrators inDublin, Ireland, emphatically called onthe government to rescind lockdownand mask measures.

London also drew significant anti-vaccine passport and lockdowndemonstrations, with protesterswaving flags and singing songs.

About 4,000 people appearedoutside of the Greek Parliament incentral Athens to protest againstmandatory vaccinations, DW andother news agencies reported. Greekauthorities used tear gas on someprotesters.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Jack Phillips

Senior Reporter

Jack Phillips is a reporter at TheEpoch Times based in New York.

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