COVID Protesters Threatened With 2 Years in Prison for Blocking Traffic
French authorities said a "freedom convoy" could face jail time if participants block roads in a planned protest in Paris against COVID-19 restrictions.
Paris police said the protests aimed at "blocking the capital" from Friday through Monday before heading to Belgium on Monday won't be allowed to block public roads in Paris due to "risks of trouble to public order," the Associated Press reported. Police warned protesters who choose to block traffic could face two years in prison, a $5,000 fine and a suspended driver's license.
The European protests were inspired by the so-called Freedom Convoy movement in Canada where truckers are protesting against vaccine mandates and COVID-19 restrictions. Demonstrators in France have launched their own version protesting against the country's vaccine pass, and similar protests have taken place in New Zealand and Australia, The Guardian reported.
Several convoys left the south of France on Wednesday, with more leaving Thursday. The protesters planned to be in Paris from February 11 to February 14 before heading to Brussels for a "European convergence" demanding an end to COVID-19 restrictions, Euro News reported.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/covid-protesters-threatened-with-2-years-in-prison-for-blocking-traffic/ar-AATHDgr
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