It was the third weekend in a row that people opposed to President Emmanuel Macron’s new COVID-19 measures have taken to the streets, a rare show of determination at a time of year when many people she’s focused on taking summer vacations.
“We are creating a segregated society and I find it incredible that this is done in the country of human rights,” said Anne, a teacher who was demonstrating in Paris and did not want to give her last name.
“So I took to the streets; I had never protested before in my life. I think our freedom is in danger,” he added.
Visitors to museums, cinemas or swimming pools are already denied entry if they cannot present the health card, which shows that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or that they have tested negative in a recent test.
The National Assembly this week approved a new law that will make vaccination mandatory for health personnel and will extend the requirement of the health card to bars, restaurants, fairs, trains and hospitals.
Police estimated some 13,500 people demonstrated on the streets of Paris, another police spokesman said.
Some 3,000 police officers were deployed in the capital, and riot police made an effort to keep the protesters on the authorized routes.
The protesters also came out in other cities such as Marseille, Lyon, Montpelier, Nantes and Toulouse, shouting “Freedom!” and “No to the health pass!”.