BERLIN — Thousands of people took to the streets of Berlin on Saturday, demanding an end to the government measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus that they argue violate their constitutional rights. But before the march reached its final destination in the Tiergarten, the police shut down the protest, saying that demonstrators were not following social distancing rules. That came an hour after the police decreed that protesters would have to wear masks. Officials estimated that 18,000 people had turned out to demonstrate. “This is the second demonstration I’ve taken part in my lifetime,” said Thomas Dausend, 64, from southwestern Germany.

Source: New York Times August 29, 2020 12:10 UTC