https://sputnikglobe.com/20220109/anti-vax-protesters-vow-to-piss-off-macron-after-french-lawmakers-approve-covid-19-vaccine-pass-1092129323.html

Anti-Vax Protesters Vow to 'Piss Off' Macron After French Lawmakers Approve COVID-19 'Vaccine Pass'

Anti-Vax Protesters Vow to 'Piss Off' Macron After French Lawmakers Approve COVID-19 'Vaccine Pass'

Sputnik International

Around 105,200 people across France protested Saturday over government plans to introduce a new coronavirus pass.

2022-01-09T08:50+0000

2022-01-09T08:50+0000

2022-11-03T19:29+0000

emmanuel macron

vaccination

covid-19

france

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Around 105,200 people across France protested Saturday over government plans to introduce a new coronavirus pass.Some in Paris were heard responding to President Emmanuel Macron’s blunt promise made last week to “piss off” the unvaccinated, with protesters chanting "We'll piss you off".18,000 are estimated to have turned out in the capital Paris, with police reporting 10 arrests and three officers having sustained minor injuries.Some 6,000 demonstrators flooded the streets of Toulon, between 500 and 1,000 people turned out in Bordeaux, 500 in Dijon, 650 in Saint-Etienne, and nearly 500 in Puy-en-Velay.The turnout on Saturday is believed to have been four times higher than when 25,500 people marched across the country in response to the 18 December call to protest.People carried slogans that read "No to the vaccine pass", in a reference to the controversial bill, which passed its first reading in the lower house of France's parliament on Thursday.In Paris, several thousand people had rallied after a call by the president of the Patriots Eurosceptic political party, presidential candidate Florian Philippot. Another crowd in the south-east of Paris was reportedly held on the initiative of the Yellow Vests. While the large-scale movement evolved from a series of rallies against a hike in fuel prices, with focus gradually shifting towards a wider range of social problems, of late the gilets jaunes (yellow vests) have been protesting against the government’s COVID-19 policies.People in France already have to provide either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to a host of public venues. However, under a bill approved by the National Assembly on 6 January in the first reading, the health pass has been transformed into a stricter "vaccine pass". The proposed legislation would ditch the negative PCR test option in order to attend public places such as bars, restaurants, museums, theatres, and gyms. Similarly, full vaccination would be needed for people over 12 years of age to travel between regions on public transport. The sole exception is access to health facilities and services, for which a negative COVID-19 test will still suffice.Emmanuel Macron’s government has said it expects the new requirements to be implemented by 15 January. However, the legislation still needs to pass in the Senate, which is due to review it early next week.The bill’s passage came in the wake of controversial remarks by Macron, who told Le Parisien newspaper in an interview earlier that "as for the non-vaccinated, I really want to piss them off" with new measures.He had also referred to those who refused to get their jabs as "irresponsible people” who are “no longer citizens".Later, he doubled down on his remarks, telling reporters at a joint press conference in Paris with EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen:Despite the fact that France is one of the most highly vaccinated countries in Europe, with more than 90% of over-12s eligible for the shot fully vaccinated, the new Omicron variant of the disease has been driving cases up.France recorded 303,669 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, with pressure on hospitals mounting.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20220107/marine-le-pen-blasts-macron-as-pyromaniac-who-uses-health-crisis-after-his-comments-on-unvaxxed-1092095130.html

france

2022

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france covid-19 vaccination emmanuel macron