BERLIN, Aug. 28 (Reuters) – Police in riot gear stormed a rally on Friday, removing thousands of protesters by truck.
Some protesters attempted to barricade the government district around the Reichstag parliament building and clashed with officers, police said. Four officers were injured, Berlin’s Zeitung reported.
About 50 people were arrested, some for assault by officers, the force said.
Protesters, few of whom wore masks, waved banners with the messages “I have my own opinion” and “Covid-84” in a reference to George Orwell’s book “1984” about a totalitarian state.
The marches came a month before the federal election. Leading candidates vying to replace Chancellor Angela Merkel have promised there will be no return to last year’s tight closings and earlier this year.
The country has reported more than 3.9 million cases of coronavirus and is facing a fourth wave of infections. On Saturday, it reported 10,303 new cases and 22 fatalities, bringing the death toll to 92,096.
To encourage more people to get vaccinated, the government has said it will stop offering free trials from Oct. 11, except for those who are not recommended for vaccination, such as children and pregnant women.
The government will require people to be vaccinated, test negative or have a certificate of recovery to enter covered restaurants, participate in religious ceremonies or do indoor sports.
Reuters TV report, edited by Emma Thomasson, edited by Andrew Heavens
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