More than 130 detained after protests against coronavirus restrictions in Germany

Police detain a protestor, during a demonstration on Alexanderplatz, in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, May 9, 2020.
Police detain a protestor, during a demonstration on Alexanderplatz, in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, May 9, 2020. Copyright Paul Zinken/dpa via AP
By Euronews with AP
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Dozens of people were detained at protests against the pandemic restrictions after some rallies turned violent on Saturday.

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Police in Germany say dozens of people were detained following protests against the pandemic restrictions after some rallies turned violent on Saturday.

Berlin police said 86 people were detained after bottles were thrown at officers during a demonstration in Alexanderplatz, a large central square in former East Berlin. 

One officer was injured, and another was injured in a separate incident in front of the Reichstag building where 45 people were detained.

In the western city of Dortmund, police said a man attacked a TV crew during a protest — the third such attack in Germany in the past two weeks. A 23-year-old individual was arrested.

Police in nearby Cologne expressed outrage that some protesters in the city urged shoppers to remove their masks when entering stores.

“It seems like these people still haven’t understood that it’s not just about their health but also the lives of others,” Cologne’s police chief said.

Despite the gradual easing of Germany’s pandemic restrictions in recent weeks, protests against them have swelled, bringing together far-right groups, C-list celebrities, and people who believe the virus is harmless or part of a global conspiracy.

Vegan influencer Attila Hildmann and musician Xavier Naidoo are two of the many who have been spreading conspiracy theories in Germany.

Hildmann had written on his Facebook page that Germany will soon abandon democracy and that secret forces will install "a new world order." He also implicated Bill Gates in his theories. Hildmann said he will soon be going "underground."

Meanwhile, Xavier Naidoo, who had previously been widely criticized for racist social media posts has expressed his doubts over the existence of the coronavirus, demanding evidence for it. The video in question had been uploaded to the "Xavier Naidoo (offiziell)" Telegram group and shows the musician talking into a camera in his car.

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