Feb 12, 2022 - World

French police fine hundreds in "Freedom Convoy" protest

Erin Doherty

Demonstraters wave French flags and yellow vests on the Champs Elysees in Paris on February 12, 2022. — Demonstrators wave French flags and yellow vests on the Champs Elysees in Paris on Feb. 12. Photo: Mehdi Taamallah/NurPhoto via Getty Images

French police fired tear gas and fined several hundred demonstrators in Paris on Saturday to quell a vehicle protest against COVID-19 restrictions, AP reports.

Driving the news: The police stopped at least 500 vehicles attempting to enter Paris, despite a ban on such protests, but a few dozen vehicles were still able to avert the authorities, per AP.

As part of the self-declared "freedom convoys" — inspired by the blockade in Canada — protesters tried to weave through Paris in various directions, waving and honking.
The demonstrators were protesting the vaccine pass that France requires for people to enter restaurants and many other venues.

The big picture: The protests in Paris come after a group of demonstrators blocked roads and portions of the busiest U.S.-Canada border crossing for days, cutting off key delivery routes and leading factories to shut down.

Demonstrators in dozens of trucks and other vehicles also protested COVID-19 restrictions in the Netherlands on Saturday, per AP.

Go deeper: Blockade at Canada border begins to clear after police enforcement

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French police fine hundreds in "Freedom Convoy" protest

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