Roundup: protests in Spain, political revolt in UK, discontent in France
Madrid Desk, Sep 27 (efe-epa).- Madrid was gripped by demonstrations on Sunday after parts of the city were put back into lockdown to help curb rising infection rates.
Elsewhere in Europe, British lawmakers threatened to rebel over a lack of consultation over new restrictions and business owners in France also threatened to take action against fresh measures.
SPAINHundreds of people took to the streets of Madrid calling for the resignation of the city’s mayor Isabel Díaz Ayuso after parts of the capital were put back into partial lockdown.
More than one million residents have been affected by fresh restrictions that were imposed over some of the capital’s poorer districts, leaving residents there feeling stigmatized and abandoned.
Restrictions were imposed across 37 health districts in the capital city on Monday and extended to another eight districts on Friday.
City health officials have ruled out a city-wide lockdown despite pleas from the Spanish Health Ministry.
The capital is the epicenter of Spain’s outbreak with more than 213,700 cases, including 1,000 in the last 24 hours, more than 20 percent of the national total.
This has put increasing pressure on hospitals in the capital, with just over 25 percent of beds occupied by Covid patients, compared to a national average of eight percent.
FRANCEBar and restaurant owners in Marseille threatened to breach new restrictions proposed to contain France’s growing number of Covid-19 cases.
Premises in parts of the country could be ordered to close early for at least 15 days as part of a series of measures to help stop the spread of the outbreak.
Medics have criticized the measures for not going far enough.
France’s health minister Olivier Véran said that visiting bars or restaurants increases the risk of contracting the virus by four or five times and added: “We do not want to confine the country again.”
UNITED KINGDOMBritish Prime Minister is facing a revolt from MPs within his own party after he imposed new Covid restrictions without consulting parliament.
Lawmakers are demanding there be a parliamentary debate and vote before fresh measures take effect.
Johnson announced a package of measures last week after a sharp increase in the number of infections in the country.
The government is due to renew on Wednesday the emergency powers it assumed six months ago to deal with the pandemic. EFE-EPA
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