World

Police Detain 316 Protesters During Rallies Against COVID-19 Restrictions in Berlin - Video

At the beginning of August, a major protest against coronavirus restrictions was organised by Stuttgart's Querdenken 711 initiative, attracting around 20,000 demonstrators. The protest was stopped short by police because the participants of the mass rally refused to follow the required health precautions.
Sputnik

A live broadcast shows another day of major demonstrations against COVID-19 restrictions in Berlin.

The German police said 33 officers were injured during massive demonstrations against coronavirus restrictions in Berlin on Saturday.

"Overall, 316 people were detained and 131 criminal charges were filed, including for assault on police officers... Thirty-three officers were injured", a statement read.

Some 3,000 police officers were sent to disperse unauthorised rallies throughout the city held in protest — and in violation — of the restrictive policies adopted to stem the spread of the virus.

An estimated 38,000 people demonstrated against the obligatory use of face coverings in public places, with placards reading "masks are muzzles" and "corona hysteria covers up class war".

Follow Sputnik's Live Feed to Find out More!

On 29 August, State Minister for Berlin Andreas Geisel said that approximately 38,000 people had participated in a protest against the coronavirus restrictions in the German capital, while the police detained 300 demonstrators during clashes with law enforcement

The anti-coronavirus protests on Saturdays were organised by Stuttgart's Querdenken 711 initiative that criticises the government’s response to the pandemic.

However, the police did not allow the protesters to march, as the coronavirus safety requirements were not met.

The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany now stands at 241,771. The country’s overall COVID-19 death toll is 9,295, according to the latest data from the Robert Koch Institute.

Discuss