German police Saturday halted a march by some 18,000 coronavirus sceptics in Berlin because many were not respecting social distancing measures.
After the announcement, the demonstrators shouted “Resistance” and “We are the people,” a slogan often used by the far-right, and sang the German national anthem. Berlin city authorities had previously decided not to allow the Saturday demonstration to go ahead, fearing that the estimated 22,000 protesters would not keep a distance of 1.5 metres apart or comply with face mask requirements.
The protesters waved German flags and shouted “Merkel must go!”, a chant often used by the far-right Alternative for Germany party against Chancellor Angela Merkel. The rally came as coronavirus cases continue to rise in Germany, with daily new infection numbers reaching highs not seen since April.