COVID-19 in Australia | Thousands of people demonstrate against vaccination

(Melbourne) Thousands of opponents of the COVID-19 vaccination gathered in several cities across Australia on Saturday.

Almost 85% of Australians over the age of 16 are fully vaccinated and have returned to almost normal lives.

Protesters gathered on Saturday in the country’s largest cities protested against compulsory vaccination, which is only required in certain states and territories for certain professional categories.

In Melbourne, several thousand people have called for the jail of the prime minister of that state, Daniel Andrews, and against a bill to give more powers to the government of the state of Victoria to fight the pandemic.

Contrary to previous protests, no clashes with the police were reported, nor calls for the hanging of political leaders.

According to police, up to 10,000 people gathered in Sydney, among them anti-vaccines.

About 2,000 protesters demonstrated in Melbourne to oppose the anti-vaccine rally, one of the first counter-protests since the start of the pandemic.

“I am here because I am disgusted by what is happening in the streets of my city, Melbourne,” counter-protester Maureen Hill told AFP, referring to the anti-vaccination march.

Australia has recorded more than 195,000 cases and 1,933 deaths linked to the virus in a population of more than 25 million since the start of the pandemic.