This archive report was first published on 25 July 2021.
On July 24, 2021, thousands of people took to the streets in Australia, France, Italy, and Greece to protest against Covid-19 restrictions and vaccination measures. The protests, which were sparked by the introduction of health passes and vaccination mandates, resulted in clashes between protesters and police in several cities.
Organizers of the protests, which were dubbed 'freedom rallies,' called for an end to the restrictions and vaccination measures, which they claimed were an infringement on individual freedoms. Protesters carried signs and banners reading 'Wake up Australia' and 'Drain the Swamp,' and chanted slogans such as 'Freedom, freedom' and 'Don't touch our children.'
In France, where police deployed teargas and water cannon against some protesters, an estimated 160,000 people took to the streets in nationwide protests against President Emmanuel Macron's health pass. The pass, which will drastically curtail access to restaurants and public spaces for unvaccinated people, has been met with widespread criticism and opposition.
Protesters in Italy demonstrated against a mandatory 'green pass' for indoor dining and entertainment, while in Greece, around 5,000 people demonstrated in Athens, carrying placards touting slogans such as 'Don't touch our children.'
Meanwhile, in Australia, police in Sydney detained some protesters after an unauthorized march, with the city's police minister branding those who took part as 'morons.' The protests were sparked by the introduction of lockdowns across several Australian cities, which have angered some residents and led to growing anger at the conservative government's failure to provide adequate vaccine supplies.
Just 11 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, and there are concerns that the restrictions and vaccination measures are having a disproportionate impact on certain communities. The protests highlight the conflict globally between people caught between the advice of the World Health Organization and other public health agencies and the need to earn a living or simply to return to a pre-pandemic lifestyle.
