European governments have faced blowback from citizens over COVID measures that protesters say (as we have) are an arbitrary, economy-killing grab to enforce a centralized government.
The Associated Press reported there was an “eerie quiet” on the streets of Paris after the curfew was announced by French President Emmanuel Macron. The report said 20 million people are affected by the curfew, which will be enforced by 12,000 extra police officers.
The order was met with criticism. Xavier Denamur, the owner of several bistros in the city, told the AP that he “has the right to question the government’s approach.”
“I think it’s a catastrophic measure for the industry,” he told the news agency. He also criticized what he considered to be an arbitrary start time for the curfew and asked why it couldn’t begin at 11 PM?
“There’s no evidence that this difference of a couple of hours will have any effect on the virus circulating,” he said.
The central government in Spain continues to clash with regional leaders over new COVID restrictions. All bars and restaurants in Catalonia have been forced to close any indoor service.
Roger Pallarols, the head of the Barcelona Restaurant Association, told The New York Times that the general feeling among restaurant owners is: “Let the Catalan police come and close us.”
Euronews reported protests in Prague turned violent on Sunday over new restrictions, and 20 demonstrators were injured when police deployed water cannons and tear gas. The report said about a thousand demonstrators were out protesting the closures of bars and the ban on sports in the country. It also said some of the protesters lobbed flares and beer bottles at police. Bloomberg reported the protest included about 2,000 protesters and formed at the city’s Old Town Square.
TRENDPOST: While European countries enact tough, new coronavirus restrictions, an RT.com report said that a court in Berlin ruled last week there is no evidence that a shutdown of the country’s bars and restaurants would prevent the virus’ spread.
The judge sided with 11 restaurant owners and issued an emergency injunction, which was seen as a blow to Chancellor Angela Merkel. The court said the government failed to prove how forcing restaurants to close from 11 PM to 6 AM would reduce the virus’ spread. Merkel’s government can appeal.
