Urban centres: Anticipate localised disruption during gatherings marking International Women’s Day on 8 March
Created and/or Modified: Sunday, March 07, 2021 16:35:37 GMT
Level: Notice
Location: Netherlands; Germany; Belgium; Portugal; Italy; Austria; Finland; Albania; Lithuania; Switzerland; Slovenia; Ireland; Croatia
Category: Protest/Rally
Event Date: 08 Mar 2021
Anticipate disruption on 8 March in the vicinity of gatherings in urban centres to mark International Women’s Day. Rallies will be held in several towns and cities across the region. Additionally, activists will gather at several Polish embassies to denounce a controversial Polish abortion law. The events are likely to be peaceful and well attended, causing localised travel disruption, though the police may intervene to enforce COVID-19-related restrictions.
Advice
- Liaise with local contacts to remain apprised of related demonstrations in your area. If travelling in the vicinity of a rally site, reconfirm the status of routes before setting out and allow additional time for journeys.
- Anticipate heightened security around gatherings; follow all official directives including COVID-19-related measures.
- Monitor our alerts for notable developments.
More detail
Details of key gatherings are as follows (all times local):
Urban centres: Plan journeys bypassing protests over COVID-19-related restrictions until 20 March (Revised)
Created and/or Modified: Sunday, March 07, 2021 05:55:31 GMT
Level: Notice
Location: Germany
Category: Protest/Rally, Transport disruption
Plan journeys bypassing protests on 13 and 20 March over COVID-19-related restrictions as a precaution and to minimise travel delays. The events are being organised in urban centres across Germany by local supporters of the Querdenken (Lateral Thinking) movement. Counter-demonstrations are also planned, increasing the risk of scuffles between rival participants. Previous related gatherings have notably resulted in isolated instances of unrest, as well as the arrests of multiple protesters for violating COVID-19 measures. Some of the upcoming protests will take the form of car parades, which are likely to generate traffic disruption along their routes.
Advice
- Liaise with local contacts to remain apprised of any planned or ongoing protests in your area. Plan journeys bypassing all such events as a precaution and to minimise travel delays.
- If travel near a protest site is unavoidable, reconfirm the status of routes before setting out and allow additional time for journeys.
- Anticipate heightened security around protests and follow all official directives, including any preventative measures and restrictions linked to COVID-19.
- Monitor our alerts on Germany for updates.
More detail
While past protests by Querdenken drew up to 10,000 participants in major cities, including in the capital Berlin, recent events have attracted far smaller numbers. Nonetheless, a heightened security presence can be expected in the vicinity of the upcoming demonstrations and around known flashpoints, such as government buildings and main city centres.
Details of known rallies are as listed below (all times local):
13 March
- Bremen (Lower Saxony state): Roland at 13.00
20 March