About a thousand people gathered in Berlin on Saturday to protest the lockdown. The protesters held placards with the slogans: “Protection of constitutional rights,” “Freedom is not everything, but without freedom, everything is nothing,” “I want to get my life back.” Some held white roses in their hands, as a symbol of the resistance movement of white roses against the Nazis.
“We are here today … to express our opinion. To protect constitutional rights, freedom and, above all, freedom of speech,” said a woman with a rose, who called herself Sandra.
Protesters handed out newspapers called Democratic Resistance, which said the new coronavirus was an attempt to seize power by spreading fear. The newspapers quoted 127 doctors from all over the world who question the need for strict restrictions.
Police spokesman Tilo Kablitz said permission was issued for a newspaper distribution campaign, but health authorities did not give permission for a public demonstration, Reuters writes.
“During the time of the coronavirus and in accordance with the rules of quarantine, we are obliged to prevent the meeting,” Kablitz said, adding that 180 police officers were on duty during the rally. At the same time, police announced the detention of 100 protesters.
Earlier this month, the German Constitutional Court ruled that people have the right to protest if they adhere to the rules of social distance after democracy activists filed a lawsuit alleging that the ban violates freedom of assembly.
Germany ranks fifth in the world in the number of COVID-19 after the USA, Spain, Italy and France. However, after early and extensive trials, the mortality rate was relatively low.
Encouraged by lower rates of infection, the government allowed the opening of small shops on Monday, as well as the sale of cars and bicycles, and the opening of bookstores, but the rules of social distance remain valid until May 3.
The number of confirmed cases of the disease in the country increased by 2055 to 152,438, and the death toll increased by 179 to 5500, according to the Robert Koch Institute for Infectious Diseases, which showed Saturday, the second day of the slowdown, both in cases of infection and in deaths.
About a third of the planet is now in isolation. This will lead to a secondary epidemic of burnout and stress-related absenteeism in the second half of 2020. Taking action today can mitigate the toxic effects of quarantine. Read more in the material “Lockdown – the largest psychological experiment in the world. And we will have to pay for it. “
