The lockdown imposed due to the skyrocketing number of corona infections in Austria ends on Sunday, but only for those who have been vaccinated. In Vienna again thousands of people took to the streets to protest against the Corona measures.
More than 40,000 Austrians protested on Saturday against the applicable corona measures and the mandatory vaccination announced by the government. According to the police, around 44,000 people took to the streets in the capital Vienna. Protests also took place in other cities in the Alpine republic. A three-week lockdown, which was imposed because of the sharp increase in infection cases, ends on Sunday in Austria for vaccinated people.
The demonstrators in Vienna, who gathered on Heldenplatz near the Hofburg from noon, carried posters with inscriptions such as “Stop fascism”, “No compulsory vaccinations” or “Hands off our children”.
At the rally there, the head of the right-wing populist FPÖ, Herbert Kickl, railed against the government’s policies. He announced that the protests would continue until the government went “to the dogs”. “We can all contribute to this,” he said at the “Megademo for freedom against chaos and coercion”. In addition to Kickl, other FPÖ representatives also took the floor. Then a protest march started.
“Unvaccinated people are the scapegoats”
The 29-year-old Clemens from Upper Austria called for the Austrian government to resign. Their corona policy is “pure fascism”.
“We want people to be able to decide for themselves,” said 47-year-old protester Manuela, who stressed that she had been vaccinated twice herself. “Unvaccinated people are the scapegoats.” It is especially terrible for children if they are excluded from leisure activities.
“We can have different opinions and values, but still live together freely,” said 44-year-old violin teacher Annalea. In their opinion, democracy is taking a path that it should not take.
In total, more than two dozen demonstrations took place in Vienna. Around 1,400 police officers were on duty to ensure that the protests proceeded peacefully and that the applicable Covid regulations were observed. In Klagenfurt, too, around 2500 people took to the streets against the Corona measures on Saturday, according to the APA.
A partial lockdown has been in effect throughout Austria for three weeks, which ends on Sunday for those who have been vaccinated. Almost everything was closed during this time, only schools and shops for daily needs remained open.
Corona vaccination compulsory from February 1st
In addition, the government has mandated a general corona vaccination from February 1. Since this rule was announced, protests against the measures to contain the pandemic have increased significantly again. Last weekend, more than 40,000 people also demonstrated in Vienna.
Source From: Stern
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