Massive protests in France and Greece against compulsory vaccination and restrictions on those who do not want to be vaccinated

The French government has tried to downplay the scale of the protests that took to the streets of various cities across the country on Wednesday around 20,000 people against its measures to generalize the vaccination against the coronavirus, in particular with the extension of the health certificate to activities of daily living.

“Do not exagerate”, said the Secretary of State for European Affairs, Clement Beaune, when asked in an interview with the broadcaster Info France due to the protests which in some cases resulted in clashes with the police.

The official said that we must listen to the discontent because there is a certain fatigue and also “restless minorities”. In this regard, he stressed that some demonstrators complained about living in a dictatorship and quipped: “I would like there to be a lot of dictatorships like France”.

Beaune said he is more concerned with people concerned about the evolution of the pandemic, who are in the majority.

To illustrate, he pointed out that there is three million people who have requested an appointment to be vaccinated after the announcements on Monday by French President Emmanuel Macron, that with the extension of the obligation of the health certificate in practice, it will be almost essential to be done vaccinate.

Concretely, Macron demanded that health personnel, but also All professionals who work with vulnerable people on a daily basis will have to be vaccinated in order to continue working from September 15..

In addition, on July 21, the Sanitary certificate (proof of having the vaccination schedule, of having passed the disease covid-19 or of having a negative test) go to the cinema, theater or sporting events with more than 50 spectators.

In August, it will also be necessary to do long journeys by public transport (plane, train, bus) and even for a drink in a bar or restaurant.

Demonstration against vaccines in Greece

Thousands of people demonstrated in several Greek cities last night in the first massive demonstration against pandemic vaccines, against the government’s decision to force health workers to be vaccinated and limit the closed spaces of the hotel and leisure activities for the vaccinated.

Alone in the center of Athens, they gathered around 3000 people, without maintaining social distancing and practically without masks, although there have also been protests in other cities like Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Patras, the Peloponnese or Heraklion, on the island of Crete.

Many protesters showed Greek flags and religious symbols, several erected crosses and orthodox icons in front of the Parliament, in Syntagma Square, while the slogans of the demonstration were mixed with the national anthem and other nationalist chants.

Among the banners carried from Omonia Square to the Parliament, one could read “No to compulsory vaccination. Yes to individual freedoms, to free choice. No to State participation in medicine ”or“ No to separation, no blackmail, no terrorism ”.

The demonstration was organized by the movement “Freedom again”, led by a cardiologist who launched the appeal for Facebook ensuring that “Any medical practice against the will of the patient is prohibited” and called the conservative New Democracy government “fascist”.

In the last few weeks the Delta variant caused a considerable increase in infections in Greece, raising fears of a fourth wave, as the government tries to convince the population to get vaccinated after the vaccination rate has stagnated.

Monday, the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakisannounced on compulsory vaccination for workers in nursing homes and health personnel in public and private centers, who will be suspended without pay if they do not receive the first dose by the dates set.

So far in Greece 9,485,402 people were vaccinated and about 44% of the population received the full regimen. The government’s goal is to reach at least 70% by the fall to prevent the health system from collapsing again.

(With information from EFE)

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