Europe sees widespread protests against COVID-19 restrictions

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Europe
It’s been a weekend of protests against COVID-19 restrictions across Europe, a continent that is seeing a surge in cases and is now the epicenter of the pandemic. In Belgium, where, starting Wednesday of last week, there’s been a wider mandate in masking and working from home, nearly 35,000 people took to the streets in peaceful protests that broke out into violence. Several cities across the Netherlands saw violent protests on Friday and Saturday, with Dutch authorities deploying a water cannon, mounted officers and dogs to disperse the crowds. Austria, Denmark, and the French overseas territory of Guadeloupe had similar protests. The French government is sending police special forces to Guadeloupe after three days of protests against COVID-19 restrictions that turned into rioting and looting. The rallies were initially called by workers’ unions to denounce France’s health pass, a necessary requirement to access restaurants, sports events and other places, and mandatory vaccinations for health care workers.

Sudan
Nearly four weeks after Sudan’s military took control of the country’s government in a coup that saw Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok deposed and placed under house arrest, Hamdok has signed a deal with Sudan’s top army commander that will see him reinstated as interim prime minister until new elections are held. Thousands of Sudanese took to the streets to protest the deal, calling it a betrayal to the democratic cause. The agreement also includes the release of political prisoners who were jailed following the military coup. The number of people killed during rallies in the past month has been raised to 41, according to a report by a coalition of medical workers. The report also stated that security forces have targeted hospitals and blocked injured protesters from receiving treatment.

Haiti
Two of the 17 missionaries that were kidnapped this past October in Haiti by the 400 Mawozo gang have been released. The hostages were part of an American missionary group that includes women and children. They were visiting an orphanage just outside the capital, Port-au-Prince. The Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries said it would not announce the names of the two people who were freed, but that they are “safe, in good spirits, and being cared for.” The missionaries are all from Amish, Mennonite and other conservative Anabaptist communities across six US states, plus one person from Canada.

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Double Take

Sacré bleu!

The French flag saw a change this past summer that’s gone largely unnoticed until recently. President Emmanuel Macron’s office darkened the blue in the flags flying around the Élysée Palace to align them with with the hue seen after the French Revolution. The switch took place in July. Presidential aides say the change is not in “opposition to the blue used by the European [Union] flag.”

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