Anti-vaccines, yellow vests and Macron critics protest across France

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Issued on: 07/24/2021 – 17:52 Modified: 07/24/2021 – 17:53

Demonstrations against the health pass brought together more than 15,000 people in the south of France, in the cities of Marseille, Nice and Montpellier, with cries of “Liberty, Liberty”, while demonstrators in Paris clashed with the police.

French riot police fired tear gas as clashes erupted during protests in central Paris against COVID-19 barriers and vaccination.

Television footage showed police trying to repel protesters near Paris Saint-Lazare train station after protesters pushed onto a police motorcycle carrying several officers.

During another demonstration called by far-right politicians in western Paris, protesters opposed to anti-virus measures carried banners reading “Stop the dictatorship”.

Events in Marseille

In Marseille, a procession of 4,300 people marched through the center of the city, filling a good half of the Canebire. “Marseillaises” were sung under tricolor flags and banners calling for respect for freedom of conscience – “Freedom cannot be injected”, “We are not ready for slavery” or “Freedom is here. ‘safe from your ideas,’ some of the banners proclaimed.

“I am 18 years old, I just passed my baccalaureate and I did not have time to be vaccinated. I could not celebrate my 17 years because of the Covid and now I feel excluded again” , says Moevai Barati.

“I will not do the injection,” says Sandra, a 49-year-old nurse who refuses to give her name: “I will therefore have to look for another job. My life plan has changed but I will go through with it. “

“Our country is becoming totalitarian,” said Jean-Claude Dib, 71, a retired truck driver who said he was “ready to fight back”.

In the procession, other demonstrators waved placards questioning the safety of vaccines: “Neither guinea pigs, nor outcasts”, “The bodies of our children returned to the labs, you say yes?

Beautiful demonstrations

In Nice, a procession of 6,000 people caused huge traffic jams in the center and on the Promenade des Anglais in the early afternoon.

Among the protesters were anti-vaccine activists, so-called yellow vests and opponents of Emmanuel Macron, all of whom marched under the same slogan: “Freedom”.

“Health dictatorship”

Finally, in Montpellier, 5,000 demonstrators took to the Place de la Comédie with cries of “Freedom” and “Down with the health dictatorship”, before marching through the city center.

“It is our freedoms which are attacked under the guise of a health crisis,” said Yasmine Tellier, a 42-year-old nurse, vaccinated but activist for the right for everyone to decide whether or not to be vaccinated. .

“The caregivers are singled out to justify themselves (…) even though it is they who were at the front when the macronists have shown themselves unable to manage this crisis,” said Amin, a 24-year-old medical student who prefers do not mention his name.

“Politicians are more and more disconnected from people’s lives: they don’t listen to people who growl,” comments Gilles Fernandez, a 37-year-old worker who wears a yellow vest.

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