M.More than one hundred people demonstrated against the state corona measures in Schweinfurt on Sunday evening – and some of them became violent. “Our emergency services were already forced to use baton and pepper spray against aggressive participants in the assembly. We call on all participants to peacefully exercise their basic rights and to adhere to the rules, ”tweeted the Lower Franconia police.
There were eight arrests. A mother who took her children with her and were hit by pepper spray caused a sensation on social media.
“Numerous rioters” in a “mass of peaceful protesters” had tried from the start to “incite the crowd against orders from the police,” the police wrote in a press release. The officials had instructed the demonstrators to hold their meeting “stationary”. Nevertheless, groups have tried again and again to break through the barriers – “with sometimes massive violence and physical attacks against emergency services”. Eight officers were injured by being beaten and kicked.
Attacks and arrests
Around 6:25 p.m., riot police were massively attacked, whereupon they used batons. In the course of the evening, a total of seven people were arrested for physical assault, as well as one “person who can be assigned to the right-wing scene” and had a forbidden knife with him.
When at around 7:05 p.m. a mother “who comes from the ranks of lateral thinkers” tried to break through a cordon, the four-year-old child she was carrying came into contact with a cloud of pepper spray. It was immediately taken care of by the police and after an eye wash it was “completely symptom-free” a few minutes later. A complaint had been made against the mother.
Lots of excitement on the net
A video that apparently shows a crying child being treated quickly circulated on Twitter and other social networks, as well as an audio message that the mother allegedly posted on Telegram. She hopes that the children will “simply overcome this trauma as quickly as possible,” says a woman in it.
The reactions to the incident in the social networks are expected. While opponents of the Corona measures try to use it as evidence of excessive police violence, numerous users are outraged that “oathers” consciously take children as “protective shields” to unregistered demonstrations.
Officials insulted and spat on
According to the police, “communication teams” tried to calm the heated mood of the protesters in parallel with the other measures. “The majority of those who gathered did not want to be talked to.” Instead, officials were insulted and spat at.
The police said they had initiated numerous administrative offense proceedings in Schweinfurt and identified four “ringleaders” who “organized the unpeaceful protest”. Reports have been made against them under the Assembly Act.
Last Sunday, up to 3,000 people demonstrated against the Corona measures at an unregistered event in the Lower Franconian city.