Seems like Covid-19 is no threat to the protests that are increasingly breaking out across the globe, while the lockdown measures on one side tries to curtail mass movements. But how about a protest keeping up to two-metre distance between the protestors!
The recent mass mobilisation in Israel where thousands of Israeli protestors held a 'socially distanced' protest against the policies of PM Benjamin Netanyahu is a quintessential epitome of an innovative model of protest for the hour.
Israel protests against Netanyahu
Wearing face masks and by maintaining nearly 6ft (two meters) distance each other, Israel saw one of the largest crowd gatherings against the Prime Minister on Monday, 20 April night. Thousands gathered in Tel Aviv's Rabin Square waving flags and holding placards to express their protest against the anti-democratic measures taken by the Israeli prime minister during the coronavirus pandemic.
After three inconclusive elections, the Israel parliament had decided on forming a unity government. Netanyahu attempted to form an "emergency" government with his political rval, Benny Gantz on Monday which instigated the people.
In addition to this, the Prime Minister is also accused for using the coronavirus crisis to escape prosecution on his corruption charges.
Why US and Maine protested?
Meanwhile, Maine saw a sudden break out against the stay-at-home order.
Hundreds of people met outside the State House, as well as the governor's house, to protest Governor Janet Mills' "Stay Healthy at Home" order. The authorities had to struggle hard to relax the mob and sent them back home.
Not only Maine but event few states in the United States have come up with similar protests that demanded 'freed' from the strict lockdown rules. People have gathered in most of the states to oppose coronavirus lockdown measures, with counter-protesters identified as health care workers blocking demonstrators' cars in Denver, Colorado, on Sunday.
Albeit social distancing has helped the States to lessen the count of COVID-19 patients, major proportion of the people, now jobless, cannot cope with the extending lockdown days, which pushes them out to the streets to protest.
In Germany too, nearly 300 protesters gathered in a main square in Berlin to protest COVID-19 restrictions, leading to many arrests.
Protests in cars are safe!
In an interesting manner, activists in Melbourne on April 10, staged a car convoy protest to highlight the plight of refugees in detention who face a heightened risk of contracting COVID-19 due to overcrowded conditions.
Despite the social distancing through cars, the cops filed case against the protestors, fining a total of $43,000 for they were not in public for an allowable reason!
Facebook bans protests
Meanwhile, social media giant Facebook has announced the ban on promotions for protests that violate social distancing rules!
The posts and promotions for anti-quarantine protests in California, New Jersey, and Nebraska had all been removed by Facebook after consulting with state governments.
Is COVID-19 in fact chaining the humans' rights to protest for their needs too?
