40,000 Gather in Vienna, Austria
Violent Clashes Erupt in the Netherlands
[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] As COVID-19 resurges in winter, countries around the world are strengthening quarantine measures again, leading to increasingly intense protests against these policies.
According to AP and AFP on the 21st (local time), protests condemning government quarantine policies took place from the afternoon of the 19th in European countries such as Austria and the Netherlands, as well as in Australia. In some areas, violent protests escalated, resulting in numerous injuries.
On the night of the 19th in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, hundreds of people protesting government quarantine policies threw stones at police officers and firefighters, damaged police cars, and set fires, causing chaos. The police responded with water cannons, and three officers were shot and transported to the hospital. The police arrested a total of 51 people, about half of whom were minors.
The next day in The Hague, a violent protest involving firearms occurred, leading to the arrest of seven people during the crackdown. On the same day, thousands gathered in the capitals Amsterdam and Breda, holding placards with slogans such as "No More Lockdowns," condemning government quarantine policies.
The Netherlands eased restrictions on September 25, requiring proof of vaccination to enter restaurants and bars. However, after a sharp increase in cases, partial lockdown measures were reintroduced on the 13th, sparking ongoing backlash.
In Vienna, the capital of Austria, where a 20-day full curfew except for essential purposes will be imposed starting the 22nd, about 40,000 people gathered on the 20th for a protest organized by a far-right party. The protesters condemned the government’s quarantine measures as totalitarian and marched from Heldenplatz through roads surrounding the old town. Austria, once known as a model country for COVID-19 quarantine, has seen a surge in cases since this fall, with daily new infections reaching record highs.
In Zurich, Switzerland, about 2,000 people protested against the government’s COVID-19 restrictions. They opposed the government regulation requiring proof of vaccination to enter restaurants and other venues. Thousands also gathered in Italy and Croatia to protest government quarantine measures.
In Australia, tens of thousands gathered in major cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane to protest authorities’ efforts to strengthen quarantine measures. The Victoria state government is pushing legislation to grant the premier the authority to declare an indefinite state of emergency for COVID-19 quarantine and to strengthen government powers related to quarantine.
In response, thousands of protesters marched through the streets of Melbourne, shouting slogans like "No More Forced Vaccinations" and "Repeal the Problematic Bill." In Sydney, although the state government has not introduced the bill, thousands took to the streets to voice opposition to the bill and strengthened quarantine policies, according to the British daily The Guardian.
On the 19th, in Guadeloupe, a French territory in the Caribbean Sea, protesters opposing quarantine guidelines looted stores and set fires overnight, causing chaos. Thirty-one people were arrested during the crackdown. Since the 15th, labor unions in Guadeloupe have continued strikes in opposition to the government’s mandate requiring vaccination for healthcare workers.
With COVID-19 cases rising sharply again in Europe, concerns are growing that it could become the epicenter of a pandemic ahead of winter. On the 21st, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that without emergency measures, additional deaths from COVID-19 in Europe could exceed 500,000 by March next year.
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