A crowd of protesters have gathered outside the Austrian embassy in London to oppose the reintroduction of Covid restrictions in the country amid a surge in cases.
Earlier this week, Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg confirmed that millions of citizens would be placed into lockdown from Monday amid a worrying trend in infections.
Images and footage shared on social media showed crowds of people gathered outside the Austrian embassy in London, holding banners and waving flags, and shouting: ‘We stand together’, ‘We stand with Austria’ and ‘Shame on you.’
Footage shows lines of police officers standing outside the embassy while protestors shout.
mages and footage shared on social media showed crowds of people gathered outside the Austrian embassy in London
People were pictured holding banners and waving flags, and shouting: ‘We stand together’
The Metropolitan Police declined to comment.
Similar protests have been held outside the Austrian embassy in France, with footage showing crowds shouting ‘Liberté’ (Freedom).
Europe has become the epicentre of the pandemic once again, with the World Health Organisation warning that the Continent was the only region in the world where deaths had increased as Covid-related fatalities spiked by five per cent just this week.
The move in Austria has affected around two million unvaccinated people in the country, and prohibits them from leaving their homes except for basic activities such as working, grocery shopping – or getting vaccinated.
It does not apply to children under the age of 12 because they cannot yet officially get vaccinated.
Leader of French nationalist party “Les Patriotes” (The Patriots) Florian Philippot and his supporters demonstrate in front of the Austrian embassy in Paris on November 18
Police officers stand guard in The Hague as demonstrators take to the street
It came after pressure on the Austrian government to impose a full lockdown grew as its worst-hit provinces said they would adopt the measure for themselves amid rising cases and reports of people dying in hospital corridors.
This week, cops in the country have been carrying out routine checks to stop those who are not jabbed from leaving their homes in a move which has been slammed for ‘dividing the society in two’.
The reintroduction of measures has been followed by Germany where unvaccinated individuals are being placed in lockdown.
Ireland has also followed Austria’s example, forcing hospitality businesses including nightclubs and pubs to close by midnight.
Riots have been taking place in Vienna after the lockdown rules were reintroduced
This week, cops in the country have been carrying out routine checks to stop those who are not jabbed from leaving their homes
The move in Austria has affected around two million unvaccinated people in the country
Europe has become the epicentre of the pandemic once again, with the World Health Organisation warning that the Continent was the only region in the world where deaths had increased – with Covid-related fatalities spiking by five per cent just this week
The rules don’t yet go as far as those in Austria, Germany and the Netherlands, where hundreds of Dutch protestors had a water cannon turned on them by police last week after they protested the partial return of lockdown, but Taoiseach Micheal Martin has refused to rule out going further.
Ireland currently requires vaccine passports to be used at indoor hospitality venues such as restaurants and bars, but will now expand them to theatres and cinemas.
Austria has one of the lowest vaccination rates in western Europe, with only around 65 per cent of the total population fully vaccinated.
In recent weeks, the country has faced a worrying trend in infections.
Europe’s Covid winter-wave first struck in the east, where vaccination rates are broadly lower, with Russia and Latvia the first two nations to enter lockdowns.