Police in the German city of Frankfurt (am Main) have allegedly been employing folding rulers in public to enforce social distancing norms during a protest against COVID restrictions, according to a video that has emerged on social media.
The demonstration reportedly took place in protest against the stricter COVID rules, as the authorities respond to the "fourth COVID wave" by implementing stricter public measures and vaccination rules.
The police have been subjected to ridicule by online users over the video, which is believed to have been recorded on 11 December.
While some users have described the police's action as being outright “dumb”, several others have reckoned that police were just "following orders" from their bosses.
Germany's 'Fourth COVID Wave'
Germany's outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel last month described the resurgence in COVID cases as "dramatic".
"The fourth wave is hitting our country with full force", Merkel reportedly said at an industry event last month, also pointing out that "the number of daily new infections is higher than ever before".
During the same meeting, compulsory vaccination was discussed and Angela Merkel said that "the general compulsory vaccination should be discussed in the Bundestag, and it should make a decision on it. The federation and the states have instructed the ethical council to prepare a recommendation by the end of the year, then this general compulsory vaccination, if approved, can come into force from February 2022".
Olaf Scholz, who replaced Merkel as German chancellor earlier this month, has backed the idea of mandatory vaccinations, a proposal which could reportedly be put to vote in the federal parliament in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, in response to the rising number of cases, several German states and cities last month introduced the "2G" COVID passes, which have information on an individual's vaccination status or if they have just recovered from an infection. The 2G pass determines if an individual can access public places such as bars, theatres, or other public venues and events.
On 2 December, Germany announced a near total lockdown for the unvaccinated people.
Scholz has vowed a harsher COVID response to the ongoing fourth wave in the country. A new law already passed by the federal government this week requires healthcare workers to be vaccinated by March next year, as per a report.
The harsher measures by the authorities, including backing the idea of mandatory vaccination, has however also angered a sizable section of the population. There have been many demonstrations against stricter COVID rules in the country (and the neighbouring countries as well) since the onset of the pandemic last year.
Even though large public gatherings are banned in Germany as part of the stricter COVID response, protesters have reportedly been taking out small demonstrations to express their resentment. For instance, protesters with torches reportedly gathered at the residence of the health minister of Saxony on 3 December.