In the Netherlands, a new anti-Covid-19 demonstration took place in Rotterdam on Sunday. Several thousand people marched through the center of the port city, despite major recent relaxations by the Dutch government.
With our correspondent in Rotterdam, Antoine Mouteau
For several hours, Sunday February 6, the thousands of demonstrators gathered in the center of Rotterdam braved the bad weather, even crossing the Erasmusbrug and the Willemsbrug, two huge bridges very exposed to gusts of wind. Many of them were highly motivated, like 53-year-old Ruud. ” I just want to get rid of the QR code and get my freedom back, for my kids too. I want to be free to move again and not have someone behind my back controlling my actions and movements. And I also want to get rid of the injections because they are useless “, he argues.
Many relaxations
In recent weeks, the Dutch government has made many relaxations, such as the reopening of so-called non-essential businesses, cafes, restaurants and cultural venues. But according to these demonstrators, this is not enough. Heleen, 57, is convinced of this. The pandemic would be a thing of the past. ” The number of contaminations is high, it’s true, but people are less sick now, she points out. It is time for society to have more freedoms. »
Unlike an anti-measures protest last November at the same location, this rally was not followed by riots or clashes with the police. Moreover, due to a social movement within the police, the latter was not very present.
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