LIVE: Activists rally in Paris against health passports, mandatory vaccination

Activists are rallying in Paris on Saturday, July 17, against the upcoming tightening of the COVID-19 restrictions in France announced by President Macron earlier this week. The demonstration was called by Florian Philippot, the leader of the ’The Patriots’ movement, using the slogan ‘for the liberty.’ On July 12, Macron announced the vaccination would become mandatory for all health workers in the country, urging them to be inoculated by mid-September. In addition to that, so-called health passports will be required to visit leisure and culture venues starting from July 21. The requirements will expand to bars, restaurants, hospitals and long-distance travel by train in August, while PCR tests will no longer be free starting from autumn, unless prescribed by a doctor.