Risk of infection too high: Tschentscher calls for a ban on demonstrations in cities

Monday, November 16, 2020

Freedom to demonstrate is a basic right, even in crown times. But experience shows that it is difficult to enforce the rules of distance and hygiene here. Therefore, the first mayor of Hamburg, Tschentscher, calls for a temporary ban on large-scale demonstrations in cities.

Hamburg’s first mayor, Peter Tschentscher, calls for a ban on large demonstrations during the Corona crisis, such as the most recent gathering of “lateral thinkers” in the center of Leipzig. “Demonstrations with thousands of participants gathering in narrow streets and squares should not be approved in the difficult conditions of the current pandemic,” said SPD politician of the “Rheinische Post” in Düsseldorf.

In gatherings of any kind, care must also be taken to ensure sufficient distance and the use of masks. In the event of non-compliance, the police and law enforcement officials would have to “take action against him and break up the meetings,” Tschentscher said before the prime minister’s conference with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

On Saturday a week ago, a demonstration of the “lateral thinking” movement against Crown restrictions intensified in the center of Leipzig. In the meeting with around 20,000 participants, there were numerous violations of the infection protection requirements, such as the minimum distance and the mask requirement. In addition, there were violent clashes after the police prematurely broke up the demonstration due to violations of Corona rules.

Demonstrations of the “lateral thinking” movement were held again in several cities last Saturday. In Frankfurt am Main there were also isolated clashes between the police and counter-protesters. Water cannons and batons were also used.