French police used pepper spray against sanitary pass protesters in Paris on Saturday, a Sputnik correspondent reported.
On Saturday, Paris saw several rallies against mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for the medical staff and sanitary passes. One of the rallies began at the Pont de Neuilly subway station after 13:00 local time (11:00 GMT), and the protesters planned to finish their procession at the Place du Chatelet. The yellow vests movement members were reported to have joined the protest.
The demonstration was largely peaceful, but in the 17th arrondissement clashes between the police and the opponents of anti-COVID-19 measures flared up. The police pepper sprayed the crowd, and after that the demonstrators followed their route.
The Constitutional Council of France approved the expanded usage of sanitary passes for cafes, restaurants, shopping centers, starting August 9.
Last weekend, over 200,000 people protested against the passes country-wide, and 14,250 in Paris, according to the Internal Ministry of France.
Since July 21, the sanitary passes have been effective in museums, theaters, movies, festivals, amusement parks, and at all the events involving over 50 people. The sanitary passes indicate if the bearer has been COVID-19 vaccinated, or has antibodies, or possesses a negative coronavirus test result.
Thai police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds on Saturday during protests against the military-backed government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, The Reporters news portal said.
People took to the streets in Bangkok to protest the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic by the government. The demonstrators demand the resignation of the government, as well as the adoption of a new constitution and the holding of elections.
The broadcaster set up a live feed at one of the three main protest sites in the northern part of the city, Din Daeng crossing, where protesters gathered to attempt a march toward the prime minister's residence.
The police first deployed water cannons and tear gas grenades at around 16:00 local time (09:00 GMT), when a vanguard of protesters clashed with a police special forces unit armed with crowd control equipment and plastic shields. At about 16:15, the police announced that they were opening fire on the protesters with rubber bullets. After that, the law enforcement fired rubber bullets and tear gas grenades at both the vanguard and the main column of the protesters.
Out of over 1,000 people in the march, more than 100 were hit with tear gas in the first 15 minutes. Those at the back of the column passed forward water bottles to help with the injuries, The Reporters said. However, the rubber bullets upset the ranks and forced many of the protesters to flee the scene. The police did not follow in pursuit and maintained their formation, but continued to fire tear gas grenades at the persisting crowds.
By 16:45, the protesters who had previously dispersed into the neighboring streets began to gather in the square again.
The anti-government protests have been simultaneously staged by various opposition organizations at three sites, including two in the historic center of Bangkok, and one at the Din Daeng crossing.
The protests were announced three days prior. The Bangkok police did not authorize the action due to the state of emergency in the city over COVID-19 pandemic and a lockdown banning gatherings of more than five people. Over 5,700 police officers were deployed and 14 checkpoints were set up on the streets adjacent to the protests cites.
The country has been gripped by anti-government protests since December 2019. Pro-democracy protesters demand the cabinet’s resignation as well as a constitution and monarchy reform.
#SputnikPhotos | Une nouvelle manifestation contre le #Passesanitaire débute au Pont-de-Neuilly à #Paris pic.twitter.com/y3ISslsprC
— Sputnik France (@sputnik_fr) August 7, 2021
India expands its vaccine basket!
— Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) August 7, 2021
Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine is given approval for Emergency Use in India.
Now India has 5 EUA vaccines.
This will further boost our nation's collective fight against #COVID19
Health Minister Mam Bunheng said in a statement issued on Friday night that after India has witnessed a decline in new Covid-19 cases, Prime Minister Hun Sen has approved the lifting of the ban. The Southeast Asian country banned all Indian nationals and foreign passengers travelling through India from entering Cambodia in late April to curb the spread of the Delta variant.
NEW DELHI, August 7 (Sputnik) – India has confirmed 38,628 new cases of the coronavirus over the past 24 hours, with the total number of those infected having reached 31,895,385, the country's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Saturday.
The death toll from the disease has reached 427,371 people, with 617 new fatalities being recorded over the past day.
More than 31.05 million people have recovered in India since the start of the outbreak.
