Tens of thousands of Europeans protest against COVID-19 measures

Crowds of people have gathered right across Europe to protest against anti-Covid measures that are being imposed by governments

In the Belgian capital of Brussels, some demonstrators threw fireworks at police who then responded with tear gas and water cannons.

The protests follow the introduction of so-called Covid passes which prove vaccination status and prevent those who have not been jabbed from entering certain venues.

The Netherlands, Switzerland, Croatia, Italy, Northern Ireland and Austria have also seen similar protests.

In Austria, they are opposing the government’s decision to go into another nationwide lockdown

This follows an earlier decision in which only unvaccinated residents would be ordered to stay at home – but this order was later increased to include the entire nation on the back of skyrocketing case numbers.

Around 66 percent of Austria’s 8.9 million population is fully vaccinated… one of the lowest rates in Western Europe.