The police in Berlin face thousands of protesters who demonstrate against the announced tightened corona legislation.
Officers fired tear gas and used pepper spray against protesters throwing bottles or attempting to climb over barricades. At least seven people have been arrested for aggression against the police.
The amendment must be approved by the German Lower House, the Bundestag, on Wednesday. In the run-up to that vote, a large demonstration started at the Brandenburg Gate. According to police reports, the protesters are not adhering to corona measures, such as keeping their distance and wearing mouth masks. More than 40 arrests have been made for this.
The police have deployed about 2,200 troops and are busy breaking up the demonstration. The approximately 8000 demonstrators are called to leave with loudspeakers. “Peace, freedom, no dictatorship”, protesters chant. “We are the people.”
In several places in the centre of Berlin, there are arguments on Wednesday against the corona measures, which in the eyes of protesters violate fundamental rights. Currently, the country of 84 million inhabitants is struggling with approximately 5,000 very seriously ill corona patients.
Merkel fears that the increase in the number of diagnosed infections will get out of hand. The amendment, therefore, provides for an “emergency brake”, a procedure whereby strict measures are imposed if the number of corona cases in areas rises too quickly. A curfew can then be charged, which is very sensitive in Germany.
The amendment makes it possible to impose measures outside the state governments. The Bundestag is expected to agree on Wednesday, and on Thursday, the Bundesrat, a kind of upper house, will look at it.