What is the cause of the violent protests that have shaken several countries in Europe as the pandemic worsens

Just a few months ago, the cases of covid-19 on Europe they fell to some of the lowest levels since the start of the pandemic.

But in recent weeks, the situation has worsened, and countries such as Germany or Austria are registering their highest levels of daily infections to date and have ordered new containment measures to try to control the situation.

At the same time, in recent days there have been a series of riots in cities across the continent, in which protesters have clashed with police and burned cars.

What’s going on?

“Pure violence”

During the weekend, there were violent protests in the streets of cities in several countries against the lockdowns.

In the Netherlands, protesters clashed with police, throwing stones, setting off fireworks and burning vehicles.

Authorities responded by using truncheons, dogs, horses, water cannons, and even gunshots.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte described the repeated nights of unrest as “pure violence”.

In Belgium, large protest marches turned violent when protesters smashed police vehicles and officers responded with tear gas and water cannons.

Saturday, some 40,000 people marched through the streets of the Austrian capital, Vienna, in a largely peaceful protest, organized by the far-right Freedom Party.

Demonstrations were also recorded in Italy, Denmark and Croatia.

Why are people upset?

In short, by the imposition of new restrictions to combat the pandemic.

Netherlands imposed a three-week partial shutdown after recording a record spike in coronavirus cases. Bars and restaurants must close early and crowds have been banned at sporting events.

Belgium has tightened the rules on face masks, even in places like restaurants where vaccination passes are already required, and most people will have to work from home four days a week until mid-December.

Other countries in the region, such as Germany, Greece and Czech Republic, have introduced or are about to introduce similar measures.

Nevertheless, Austria has taken the strictest measures.

In addition to imposing a full national lockdown, which forces people to stay home except for essential reasons, it has become the first European country to make vaccination against covid-19 a legal requirement, and the rule will take effect in February.

Despite strong pushback, Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said the measures were necessary due to opposition from some to vaccination.

“Driven by radical anti-vaccines, by fake news, many did not get vaccinated,” he said. “The result is saturated intensive care units and enormous suffering.”

Why impose restrictions now?

The new rules are a response to a large increase in COVID-19 cases across the region.

Despite having a high percentage of the population fully vaccinated compared to many parts of the world, the number of people testing positive for coronavirus in Europe has skyrocketed in recent weeks.

In Germany and the Netherlands the number of weekly cases has quadrupled since October and rates in Austria are five times higher.

The World Health Organization (WHO) regional director for Europe, Dr Hans Kluge, told the BBC that 500,000 more deaths could be recorded through March unless urgent action is taken, and warned that he is “very worried.”

Kluge supports most of the restrictions that European countries are implementing, but said mandatory vaccination measures, such as those planned in Austria, should be seen as a “last resort.” He wants to have a “legal and social debate” on the subject.

The doctor has advocated the use of masks and has supported the rules of vaccination passes, which require that people who go to restaurants, sports facilities and similar places show that they are vaccinated.

Why have covid-19 cases increased so much?

There seems to be a combination of factors in different countries.

Kluge said issues like the winter season, insufficient vaccine coverage and the regional predominance of the Delta variant, which is more transmissible, were behind the increase in infections.

Many European countries relaxed covid-19 restrictions, such as social distancing and mask-wearing rules, in early 2021 as the number of cases decreased and vaccination levels increased.

But even among vaccinated people, the Delta variant has shown that it can still spread rapidly as people return to close contact situations with fewer restrictions in place.

Are deaths from covid-19 also increasing?

At this point, at least, there seems to be good news.

Vaccines seem to prevent people from getting seriously ill and dying.

At the beginning of the pandemic, the increase in cases was accompanied by a rapid increase in the number of deaths, but after the launch of the vaccines, far fewer people die from the disease compared to the number of people infected.

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