Anti-vax blockades inspired by Canada trucker protests banned in France, Belgium and Austria
- Online groups have been calling for drivers to converge on various European capitals, mirroring ‘Freedom Convoy’ demonstrations that have paralysed Ottawa
- French police have warned of fines and suspended licences, while Belgian authorities plan to set up a perimeter to keep the trucks out of Brussels
Authorities in France, Belgium and Austria on Thursday banned road blockades threatened by groups organising online against Covid-19 restrictions, in part inspired by protesters in Canada.
Citing “risks of trouble to public order”, the Paris police department banned protests aimed at “blocking the capital” from Friday through Monday. Police will put measures in place to protect roads and detain violators.
Blocking traffic can lead to two years in prison, €4,500 (more than US$5,000) in fines and a suspended driving licence, the police department said in a statement.
Online chat groups in France have been calling for drivers to converge on Paris starting Friday night, and to continue north to Brussels on Monday. There have been calls to action in Belgium for truckers to converge on the capital, which houses European Union institutions.
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Authorities in Belgium banned Monday’s threatened blockade, and said a wide perimeter around the city of 1.1 million would be set up to keep an excess of trucks out of the centre of Brussels.