Tag: protests

Vaccine Passport Concerns Muted at Big Tech-Affiliated Privacy Conference

At one of the world’s biggest privacy conferences last week, a seminar on vaccine passports opened with the question of how mandates should be implemented—skipping over the question of whether the inherently privacy-invasive requirement should become policy at all. “This panel will explore one of the most important topics being debated today: How do we…


Melbourne Police Fire Large Projectiles, Pepper Balls at Protesters on 3rd Day of Demonstrations

Police in Melbourne, Australia, fired pepper balls and large projectiles at unarmed civilians on Wednesday, seeking to disperse crowds that took to the streets to protest against the government’s vaccine mandates and COVID-19 restrictions. This is the third day of demonstrations by construction industry workers in Melbourne against mandatory COVID-19 vaccination. Besides construction workers, protesters also included others…


Aussies Gather at Shrine of Remembrance for 3rd Day of Protests

Protests have continued for the third day in the Australian city of Melbourne after the Victorian state government shut down the construction industry for two weeks on Tuesday. The state government cited COVID-19 compliance issues in the construction industry and violent demonstration scenes outside the offices of the CFMEU construction union, which occurred on Monday…


Australians Gather at Shrine of Remembrance for 3rd Day of Protests

Protests have continued for the third day in the Australian city of Melbourne after the Victorian state government shut down the construction industry for two weeks on Tuesday. The state government cited COVID-19 compliance issues in the construction industry and violent demonstration scenes outside the offices of the CFMEU construction union, which occurred on Monday…


Heavy Police Crackdown in Australian Cities Amid ‘Freedom Rally’ COVID-19 Protests

Australians across major cities on Saturday sought to voice their dissent against draconian government COVID-19 measures, with thousands of protesters in the cities of Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide, taking to the streets in “Freedom Rally” demonstrations. But heavy police presence, mainly in Melbourne and Sydney, resulted in some violent clashes and multiple arrests. In Victoria…


Australians in Major Cities Resist Government Lockdowns, Vaccine Mandates

Australians across major cities on Saturday voiced their dissent against draconian government COVID-19 measures, with thousands of protesters in the cities of Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide, taking to the streets in “Freedom Rally” demonstrations. But heavy police presence, mainly in Melbourne and Sydney, resulted in some violent clashes and multiple arrests. In Victoria state’s capital,…


Police Officers, Firefighters Make Silent Stand Against Mandatory COVID Vaccination in Calgary

Police officers and firefighters stood in silent protest against mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations in front of Calgary City Hall on Sept. 7—and they’re planning to do it again on Sept. 12. “We gathered across the street from city hall, at Olympic Plaza, at 11 a.m.,” said participant Jonathan Hagel, also the People’s Party of Canada candidate…


Pro-Beijing Operatives Try to Mobilize Asian Americans to Protest

An expansive pro-Beijing influence operation has sought to sow division around the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic and incite street protests in the United States, cyber intelligence researchers found. The network initially began in 2019 focusing on discrediting Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests. The operation has since expanded in size and scope, spanning 30 social…


Belarus Protest Leader Kolesnikova Sentenced to 11 Years in Jail

KYIV—Maria Kolesnikova, one of the leaders of mass street protests against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko last year, was sentenced to 11 years in prison on Monday, the state-run Belta news agency and the Belarusian opposition reported. Kolesnikova, 39, was detained after ripping up her passport to prevent Belarusian security forces from deporting her in a…


Italy Prepares for Train Track Protests Against COVID-19 Passes

ROME—Italy’s government vowed to crack down on demonstrators threatening to block train tracks throughout the country Wednesday as a rule requiring COVID-19 tests or vaccines to use public transportation for long-distance domestic travel took effect. In a bid to rein in the transmission of infections as Italians returned from summer vacations, the government announced weeks…