Tens of thousands protest Belgium's tighter COVID-19 rules

*Austria is going into a 10-day national lockdown on Monday for *everyone

Ten of thousands of people demonstrated through central Brussels on Sunday to protest reinforced COVID-19 restrictions

Is anybody surprised?

Me not!

People are pushed everyday to take the vaccine and are told that the vaccine is the only way out of the pandemic and if they take the vaccine they can go back to their normal lives.

And now comes the painful awakening....

*

People want more freedom instead of another lock down. It is understandable but if the virus is not stopped it has a larger impact on economics and can even result in breakdown of healthcare system and people losing jobs.

Already countries are experiencing inflation and this will get worse.

Demonstrating and destroy properties is no solution a d those costs will need to be paid back by tax and this will no matter happen.

It is sad how people but also the governments are handling the situation but this are difficult times

In France and Belgium, a demonstration by 35,000 is small.

Hate to break it to you, but the main reason the pandemic still rages in Europe is people who refuse to mask up and get vaccinated. Don’t like the “draconian” restrictions? Take some civic responsibility, do your bit, and stop whining. The whole world will get through this a lot quicker.

Want to open up? Get vaccinated. I realize this is really complicated logic but it really isn’t.

Guaranteed a large number of those protesting are already vaccinated. Empty barrels make the most noise and will do anything for attention.

The fight for freedom of movement and assembly, freedom to earn a living and freedom from forcible injection is gathering steam. Hopefully this will overthrow the dictators. A win for all, the vaxxed and unvaxxed.

In France and Belgium, a demonstration by 35,000 is small.

There would have been a lot more, a lot lot more who attended that demonstration, but they're already dead because of covid

These 'protesters', Mostly unemployed drifters, failing university students and diehard anarchists and puppets of the far left or far right and just extending the misery for millions. 90% of them don't even know what they are protesting about. Just happy to go along for the ride.

The other 10% know EXACTLY what they are doing and are very happy to lie, cajole and misinform people to create this destructive behavior. The excuses for not being vaccinated change daily as the anti vaxxers are proved wrong by their continual pitiful lies

One particular poster in this thread spoke before about his obligation NOT to be vaccinated so he could take care of his children and not be a burden on the health system. How will said person feel when a rock or a Molotov Cocktail comes through his window potentially fatally injuring a family member or himself all because of his 'obligations'

On retrospect, happy to be in Japan where such nonsense will not occur and at this point perhaps Japan should consider total closure of its borders from Europe and the US.

Or whatever else the "science" dictates at the moment.

As Josh Hawley has pointed out recently, a real man is someone who takes responsibility. I would take that to include not whining about the science and start doing your bit. Even if it comes to getting a shot once a year, it's not that hard to do. And it sure beats the alternative.

@Northernlife

why do the sudden flip flop Monty?

What is the meaning of your question?

I don't understand flip flop.

People are pushed everyday to take the vaccine and are told that the vaccine is the only way out of the pandemic and if they take the vaccine they can go back to their normal lives.

No they are not, people are told that vaccination improves their chances against the disease, but that is subjected to changes because of variants and other factors can make all kind of immunity less effective, they are also told that vaccinating is one of the ways the risk from the disease is going to decrease enough to recover some of the normalcy, nowhere they are being told this is the only way nor that it would work at an individual level. That is something people with strong personal bias misunderstand, exactly in the same way you misunderstand "other measures to decrease transmission (apart from vaccination)" as if it meant new, never ever described measures.

The fight for freedom of movement and assembly, freedom to earn a living and freedom from forcible injection is gathering steam. Hopefully this will overthrow the dictators. A win for all, the vaxxed and unvaxxed.

Except of course if the people believe things you personally consider wrong, in that case you have demonstrated to be completely fine with limiting their freedoms, having contradicting postures depending if you share or not the beliefs of people is an excellent example of having double standards, and it is an invalid reason to support or disqualify something.

We got Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Australia, New Zealand the USA, the UK and many more. These violators of human rights and dignity are not gonna get away with this garbage.

A well coordinated global movement to counter a global conspiracy to enslave us? Nah. Just means there a small, gullible pockets of dumb everywhere, always have been.

When cases go up, and deaths go up and hospitals fill up, the government must do SOMETHING to try to reduce the numbers of cases, deaths and lack of ICU beds.

Doing nothing and staying open is what caused the problem.

Large numbers of unvaccinated make things worse not better.

It seems people are protesting to allow the increase in deaths to continue and for hospitals to be unavailable to people with other illnesses.

If lockdowns are the only way to stem the unchecked spread of this virus, or to be able to stabilize the hospitals then so be it. The only other option is to replicate what happened in India earlier this year when they ran out of oxygen and people were dying on the streets and in their homes unable to get help.

One bad apple can spoil the entire barrel of apples. Everyone must be vaccinated, and until this is gone, get boosters as required to keep immunity levels to a high enough level in the body to fight off infection.

I have no understanding of protesting to continue to allow a worsening situation to get even worse.

Wear a mask, keep your distance, disinfect often and get vaccinated. The solutions for keeping infections down is known and being followed by many, but unless EVERYONE gets behind these solutions then we are urinating into a head wind. Of course we will just cover ourselves in urine.

Tragic.

The very reason they are protesting is the reason their numbers are dwindling. They should at least mask up before going to demonstrations.

And that they are dying unnecessarily is the very reason the govt is pushing the mandates on them.

@Northernlife

That is what Google says:

Flip-flops are a type of sandal...LOL

why do the sudden flip flop Monty?

What is the meaning of your question?

I don't understand flip flop.

First it presupposes that there are only two sides to an issue, a very common frame of mind.

Flip flopping means you are switching between the two sides.

Not just switched sides but switching back and forth.

so I guess the usage above isn't even appropriate unless the poster observed that you were switching back and forth

No they are not,

Of course they are!

I recommend you, instead of just reading scientific reports and study data, to look and listen what the policticians, so called experts and other people in charge are telling us day in day out.

I recommend you to watch News and Live interviews with politicians, so called experts and your high admired science people, on TV and listen what they are telling us everyday.

Seems my usage was inaccurate as well @Monty, the posted said flip flop not flip flopping.

So assuming there are only two sides, just switching or making a sudden turnaround is a flip flop

Anyway I don't recall ever reading you were for vax mandates so not one

When cases go up, and deaths go up and hospitals fill up, the government must do SOMETHING to try to reduce the numbers of cases, deaths and lack of ICU beds.

I would suggest increasing the number of ICU beds, encourage people to wear masks and keep their immune system strong by maintaining a healthy diet and active lifestyle. The elderly and those with underlying health issues, such as diabetes or obesity should stay at home. JMHO

@Ian

Thank you for your explanation.

@Northernlife

I am not switching sides.

You know I am a pro vaxxer.

I got my 2 shots already an last week I received my early influenza shot.

But that doesn't mean that I close my eyes to the reality.

And in some points I understand the antivaxxer's opinions.

Go out and talk to people.

Ask them, why they got vaccinated?

You will always get the same answer:

Because I don't want to get sick and because I want to get back to my normal life.

And now, like here in Belgium, Austria or in many other countries, people are angry and disappointed, because even they are vaccinated, they got restrictions forced by the government.

The government is telling us, go and take the vaccine.

So people follow that, and then the government put restrictions on them in the same way like if they do not take the vaccine.

So people are wondering, why did I listen to the government, took the vaccine, but can not go back to my normal life?

Why did I took the vaccine? (this question comes up)

And then riots like here in Belgium are the results.

I bet that 90% of the riot people are fully vaccinated.

And it is not only the restrictions from the government that counts.

It is also the many vaccinated people thinks, after they took the vaccine, they can throw away their masks and forget all personal preventions.

And like I said yesterday, many vaccinated people ignore or don't want to hear that they can catch the virus and can spread it to others and can make other people sick.

I know that, probably you too,...so we continue, even we are vaccinated with our personal preventions.

And last point:

For me personally, I have more concern to get infected by a vaccinated person, who don't wear mask, don't use hand sanitizer, forgot about social distance..., than by an unvaccinated person who still follows those basic rules.

I have to go back to work now...

so called experts

If you don't trust the experts, who do you trust?

Hate to break it to you, but the main reason the pandemic still rages in Europe is people who refuse to mask up and get vaccinated. Don’t like the “draconian” restrictions? Take some civic responsibility, do your bit, and stop whining. The whole world will get through this a lot quicker.

Ok, but if I can’t take it because of medical or religious reasons or just feel it’s not for me, then what?

I would suggest increasing the number of ICU beds, encourage people to wear masks and keep their immune system strong by maintaining a healthy diet and active lifestyle.

ICU beds are being increased as fast as they can be but require specialist equipment that is difficult to procure when every nation on the planet wants to buy the same things.

People are requested to wear masks, including the vaccinated but many refuse.

Healthy diet does nothing against covid. Vaccines on the other hand build up antibodies in the body to fight off covid if exposed to it.

The elderly and those with underlying health issues, such as diabetes or obesity should stay at home.

So your ok with some sections of the community not having a normal life as long as it is not you. Interesting. Will you pay extra taxes to pay for their life alone and indoors? Their basic needs and their entertainment and food and electricity and gas and every other cost uncured? I bet you will object to that as "unfair" on you but someone would have to pay for those hundreds of thousands of people to remain in isolation for life in your nation. Tens of millions or more on a world wide scale. Who pays for all that when they cant? I say that is not a valid option. so we return to full vaccinations and defeating covid until it is no longer dangerous.

In my nation we have had children under ten up to the very elderly who have died from covid. There is no safe age.

Ok, but if I can’t take it because of medical or religious reasons or just feel it’s not for me, then what?

Then get used to living life with restrictions and less freedom than before covid. And get used to not complaining about it when you are part of the reason it takes longer to overcome.

If you don't trust the experts, who do you trust?

I think it’s more about the government itself enforcing what these so called experts recommend and instead of keeping their promise as predicted once they said people got the shot or people that had the virus and built antibodies are now pushing those people as well, now the vaccinated need boosters in the foreseeable future and they want to force people regardless of peoples health or religious leanings to take the shot. This is just madness. They don’t even want to engage of any dialogue whatsoever, it’s our way or nothing else and you think it’s shocking that people are being rebellious? Again, I don’t blame these people one bit.

Then get used to living life with restrictions and less freedom than before covid. And get used to not complaining about it when you are part of the reason it takes longer to overcome.

Well, as said as it is, thankfully in Texas we don’t have to worry about these maddening and insane draconian authoritative measures. I truly feel for these people.

Am not against vaccines and do take one flu shot annually. I feel comfortable doing that. I would do the same when I do feel comfortable with the COVID vaccines or any other vaccines against other diseases. Before I do, I would do what I can to protect myself and others from getting sick. Forcing an injection into citizens is wrong.

The term antivaxxers might be misleading and inaccurate. Many people are not taking or have not taken what is offered because they are not ready for it. Forcing it on them is wrong. And they are not antivaxxers! So if something is forced on them against their will, it’s understandable they protest.

Japan is against a vaccine mandate and asks businesses to stay away from discrimination based on vax status, among others. I hope we stay that way. If you are ok with being forced into taking a vaccine, be prepared to be forced into other things.

Ok, but if I can’t take it because of medical or religious reasons or just feel it’s not for me, then what?

You will be forgiven for having medical or religious reasons, but not for just saying "it's not for me". In any case, you have a responsibility to man up and wear a mask and keep yourself away from others. Your irresponsible actions may kill people.

these so called experts

No. They are experts. And you are not.

instead of keeping their promise as predicted once they said people got the shot or people that had the virus and built antibodies are now pushing those people as well, now the vaccinated need boosters in the foreseeable future

Boo hoo. Science evolves. Whining won't change reality. My kids wear masks every day and don't complain.

There are so many beliefs about this virus, medical and scientific, but the government and media want only one consensus

Scientists go on evidence. People such as yourself go on what they want to believe and what the non-scientist Tucker Carlson feeds them. There's a difference. And the latter is what keeps this pandemic going.

Burning Bush

People who got their first dose in January and their second in March and thought they were fully vaccinated for life are now being declared unvaccinated.

No, they still have antibodies, although the their protection would have waned.

Suddenly double vaxxed isn't good enough and people resent the constant shifting of goal posts.

You'll be pleased to know that the booster vaccine brings protection up above the double vaccination level and by the available data looks to show, it stays high.

“It is also the many vaccinated people thinks, after they took the vaccine, they can throw away their masks and forget all personal preventions.”

Well said. Once the risk is gone, we should exercise prevention practices before blaming on one another, vaxxed or not.

Ok, but if I can’t take it because of medical or religious reasons or just feel it’s not for me, then what?

Comedy gold.

Doctor: Hello Mr. Clownshoe, here's a little vaccine that could save your life and the lives of your family, friends and colleagues.

Clownshoe: Nah mate, not for me thanks.

Doctor: What do you mean? It could save your life and your children's lives. Don't you want it?

Clownshoe: No, I just don't feel it's for me, like that pink sweater the wife bought me last Christmas. Know what I mean? Look mate, it's my feelings that are important here. Now please leave me alone.

Pitting the vaccinated against unvaccinated is really sad. If the vaccines work, the vaccinated might be carrying the virus without knowing it and if we/they don’t practice prevention measures, they might spread the virus onto others, some of whom might be unvaccinated for one reason or another.

You will be forgiven for having medical or religious reasons, but not for just saying "it's not for me".

Ok, then I’ll say that to shut these people up, and to have them leave me alone, done.

In any case, you have a responsibility to man up and wear a mask and keep yourself away from others. Your irresponsible actions may kill people.

Why I have to wear a mask if I have been vaccinated? I mean, that’s the entire point, right?

No. They are experts. And you are not.

I never said I was, but even these government so called experts have made a lot of mistakes Dr. Fauci is one and the man over and over again has contradicted himself, lied so often, but he’s the ONLY knowledgeable person when it comes to this virus? No, I don’t think so and a growing number of people don’t think so and when the government and media won’t allow the masses to talk and debate and bring in other expert medical opinions from respectable and reputable scientists, then one can only conclude there is a bigger agenda being driven.

Boo hoo. Science evolves. Whining won't change reality.

People are not whining their mad and they’re saying, No more?

My kids wear masks every day and don't complain.

Mine as well, but their kids and they can’t object but if my child has a medical condition that prohibits her breathing properly then they won’t be wearing masks.

Scientists go on evidence.

I completely agree with you and there’s so many scientists with evidence that contradicts what a lot of the scientists are saying that we are forced to follow. It is not a one size shoe that fits all, there are many expert medical opinions and we are not allowed to talk about it and we are not allowed to deeply debate the issue, we are just supposed to shut up and do as we’re told and that is not how it works and people are and (rightly so) rejecting these orders.

People such as yourself go on what they want to believe and what the non-scientist Tucker Carlson feeds them.

No and thank God for him, because he puts on at least other medical opinions from experts where none of the left driven media networks will and that’s not democracy, that’s not freedom of speech and in the United States as well as in Europe people have every right to hear all sides of it, the good and the bad and in between and at least his show will provide and allow that platform to be heard.

Hospitals are filling up again with COVID-19 patients and they all represent the unvaccinated. Just do it! Get vaccinated!

and they all represent the unvaccinated.

misinformation. there are vaccinated people hospitalized as well.

As you know, vaccinated people can also get and transmit COVID.

There should not be a legally mandatory fear of a virus with a 99.9% survival rate for most age groups..

So at what survival rate do you think it's acceptable?

Ten of thousands of people demonstrated through central Brussels on Sunday to protest reinforced COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the Belgian government to counter the latest spike in coronavirus cases.

Millions were content with taking the vaccines and the restrictions and showed their appreciation by staying at home, peacefully.

Idiot anti vaxxers will make noise because that's all they know!!

I recommend you, instead of just reading scientific reports and study data, to look and listen what the policticians, so called experts and other people in charge are telling us day in day out.

Why would you listen to the politicians if they contradict the experts, and no experts in a position of authority has ever said what you mistakenly attribute to them. Again it is just your bias making you understand something very different than what they say (as easy to corroborate as checking official sites of medical and scientific institutuions) because you think misrepresenting their position make your argument valid, it does not.

Ask them, why they got vaccinated?

You will always get the same answer:

Because I don't want to get sick and because I want to get back to my normal life.

I have, and I get many different answers, which of course would automatically disprove your point, some people do answer that is the responsible thing to do, or that they want to protect their patients, clients, etc. So no, overgeneralizing from your own position as if everybody had no option but repeat your experience is not valid.

The term antivaxxers might be misleading and inaccurate. Many people are not taking or have not taken what is offered because they are not ready for it. Forcing it on them is wrong.

"they are not ready" is not a rational position to take, because it means they give more importance to their irrational reasons than the data based recommendation of the experts, and nobody is forcing them to act against their irrational fears, what mandates do is forcing them to replace a safe, convenient and effective health measure with other measures that are less convenient (such as isolation).

Pitting the vaccinated against unvaccinated is really sad.

That is not what is happening, because some people do have valid reasons to remain unvaccinated, what is the problem is people that willingly choose to irrationally reject vaccines AND want to be treated as if vaccinated even when fully knowing they increase the risk for others. There is nothing wrong with considering this a negative trait of personality, the same as rejecting smokers that want to do it in public spaces where is forbidden.

Why I have to wear a mask if I have been vaccinated? I mean, that’s the entire point, right?

No, that is still a strawman that antivaxxer propaganda uses to misrepresent the real recommendations, so no, that is not the entire point, even if you misunderstood it this way.

Mine as well, but their kids and they can’t object but if my child has a medical condition that prohibits her breathing properly then they won’t be wearing masks.

A medical condition that makes "breathing properly" so important is also a contraindication for those children to be in any situation where a mask is required during an ongoing respiratory infection outbreak, they should not be in a place where a mask is recommended in the first place.

As you know, vaccinated people can also get and transmit COVID.

And sober people can still cause accidents, that is no argument to let people drive drunk, because it increases this risk, the same as remaining unvaccinated.

Millions were content with taking the vaccines and the restrictions and showed their appreciation by staying at home, peacefully.

Well, by this growing number they don’t seem thankful, in fact they seem ticked off, royally

Idiot anti vaxxers will make noise because that's all they know!

Freedom should always reign supreme.

Freedom should always reign supreme.

What does this mean? How far will you go?Stop paying taxes and live off the grid? I doubt it.

but these vaccines do little to stop the virus. They just provide a few months of reduced symptoms. The authorities know this. This has nothing to do with health, it's all about control...

No, that is a complete misrepresenteation that is contradicted by scientific findings that prove vaccines not only reduce symptoms, complications, hospitalizations and death, but that also reduce the rates of infection and spreading. Just saying every scientific and medical institution of the world are wrong (because they do say vaccines are effective) wthout presenting any data is not a rational position to take, nobody is going to believe some nameless people on the internet just proved the scientific consensus wrong.

The protests are against authoritarians imposing these risky gene therapies onto everyone.

Everything in the sentence is wrong, vaccines reduce the risk for everybody for which they are indicated, they are not gene therapy according to the actual experts on gene therapy and vaccines of the world (again, not a single institution supports your mistaken opinion) nor people are being forced to vaccinate, just to repace this very convenient, safe and effective measure with others so they do not increase the risk irrationally for everybody.

I think lot of people have a big misunderstanding about what vaccinated and wanting to be vaccinated people believe, their reason to do so and their perception of vaccine effect and/or they conveniently choose to ignore everybody stating otherwise of the imaginary scenarii.

A perfect example is this one :

Ask them, why they got vaccinated?

You will always get the same answer:

Because I don't want to get sick and because I want to get back to my normal life.

No, that is not. There is a wide range a reasons people choose to be vaccinated, these are some andor part of some, like the last one where the step : " by having everybody vaccinated (minus the tiny amount of people whose health do not allow it), we will make the virus manageable then" is conveniently cut.

Some people seems to conveniently forgot that among non-vaccinated, the no mask, no social distancing, no sterilizing, no whatever could prove useful in containing the virus is also existing. That is not a thing which just poped out from vaccinated. (I have no idea of the current distribution and pattern depending of the vaccinated variable)

The "me me me me then me and again me and a bit more me" crowd is getting tiring. Get your head out of yourself for a change, world is bigger than you.

What does this mean? How far will you go?

No where because Texas is not going that route, Europe on the other hand the people have to make their opinions and resentments knows to these draconian rules and as to what form, it’s beyond me.

Well, by this growing number they don’t seem thankful, in fact they seem ticked off, royally

Only the idiots are not thankful and they are not growing, just noisier.

Freedom should always reign supreme.

Freedom to stay safe, healthy and alive should definitely reign supreme !!!

Hakman

Good for them. As long as they don't get violent, I support them 100%.

There should not be a legally mandatory fear of a virus with a 99.9% survival rate for most age groups.

You know that figure is grossly wrong right? The US already has double the mortality rate of that figure and not everybody go it yet.

bass4funk

Freedom should always reign supreme.

Even if it harms others?

Even if it harms others?

That goes both ways, because if I’m allergic to this vaccine, why should I take it? That’s harmful to me, I think outside of the box

That goes both ways, because if I’m allergic to this vaccine, why should I take it? That’s harmful to me, I think outside of the box

How many times have you taken it to realize you are allergic???

Lies and disinformation either deliberately or through ignorance is what drives the idiot anti vaxxers!!!

The authorities are really pushing the vaccines. But what treatments do they offer?

Only the idiots are not thankful and they are not growing, just noisier.

Looking at the crowd, it’s growing in size and noise.

Freedom to stay safe, healthy and alive should definitely reign supreme !!!

Then the government should leave me a lone and let me decide what I want to do and put in my body. Again that is Europe’s problem and I feel for these people and I just hope they can rise up above this, but I’m more concerned with what is happening in the US and as long as my state doesn’t force people, then I’m OK.

How many times have you taken it to realize you are allergic???

Not sure, I was a kid.

Lies and disinformation either deliberately or through ignorance is what drives the idiot anti vaxxers!!!

Hmmm, that line is just not working on a growing number of agitated and ticked off people. And these are people that come from all sorts of backgrounds, medical included.

The authorities are really pushing the vaccines. But what treatments do they offer?

Vaccines prevent and minimize the effects of an infection.

The treatments required for the antivaxxers belong to another speciality, the psychiatric one.

I am sure there are plenty available!!!

Looking at the crowd, it’s growing in size and noise

The obsession with crowd size is an illness of the mind.

Not sure, I was a kid.

You had Covid when you where a kid???

Hmmm, that line is just not working on a growing number of agitated and ticked off people.

There are psychiatric treatments available for such people!!!

 And these are people that come from all sorts of backgrounds, medical included.

There are idiot medics too!!! Very small in number, but still there!!!