“Macron resignation” or “freedom, freedom” … Nearly 400 people demonstrated in Perpignan, this Saturday, against vaccination and the health pass, while the prefecture is increasing measures to contain the explosion of cases of Covid-19 in the Department.
They gathered in front of the prefecture before parading in the historic center of the Catalan city, journalists noted. “So that’s democracy in France,” could one read on a sign held by a young woman.
An explosion of cases in the Pyrénées-Orientales
Another demonstrator was holding a card on which she had written: “No to compulsory vaccination. Vaccine freedom is a right. Hands off our children ”. Several people wore yellow stars on their T-shirts and carried signs drawing a parallel between the hunt for Jews and that, according to them, of opponents of vaccines.
A particularly angry protester in fatigues verbally attacked two journalists. “Why are you lying, reporters? Why don’t you say that we are under a dictatorship? You are accomplices! “, He launched, before threatening to” blow their minds “if they did not leave the premises. Bordering Spain and very touristy, the Pyrénées-Orientales department has recorded a meteoric explosion in Covid-19 cases and, with more than 250 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, has the highest incidence rate in the metropolis.
Closing of bars at 11 p.m. and wearing of masks
The prefecture imposed from this Saturday and until August 2 throughout the department the wearing of the mask in public spaces, except on the beach and large natural spaces, as well as the ban on the consumption of alcoholic drinks on public space outside of restaurants and bars. New turn of the screw of the State services announced this Saturday: the closure from 11 p.m. of bars, restaurants, beach establishments and night grocery stores in the Pyrénées-Orientales. The measure will be effective from Sunday evening until August 2.
Contaminations occur most of the time “during festive events or gatherings in bars, which have been listed in Spain but also in the department”, notes the Regional Health Agency. Neighboring Catalonia is hit hard by a new wave of contaminations. On July 12, Occitania was the first metropolitan region to exceed the alert threshold of 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Today, the regional incidence rate has almost doubled and is close to 90 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.