While France is considering the possibility of a third confinement, several European neighbors are in the grip of strong tensions linked to the health crisis.

In the Netherlands in particular, violent clashes erupted after the implementation of a curfew at 9 p.m., something which had not happened since World War II.

The tone is rising in Europe.

In Spain, rallies have been held to denounce the deception of a virus, which according to several thousand demonstrators, does not exist.

In Denmark, demonstrations were also observed against the "semi-confinement dictatorship".

And it is now the turn of the Netherlands, shaken Sunday by violent clashes in several cities of the country, after the establishment of a curfew.

"We do not take these measures for pleasure"

Stone throwing, vandalized shops, bicycles and cars set on fire ... Clashes with the police and looting broke out on the sidelines of demonstrations against this new measure in place since Saturday to fight against the Covid-19 epidemic, according to the media Dutch and local authorities.

Incidents were notably reported in Eindhoven, The Hague, Breda, Arnhem, Tilburg, Enschede, Appeldoorn, Venlo and Ruremond.

A Covid-19 screening center was set on fire on Saturday night in the village of Urk, in the north of the country, and it was even necessary to use the water cannons to disperse hundreds of people on the famous museum esplanade in Amsterdam. . 

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While several dozen arrests have been carried out since, the Prime Minister of the country, Mark Rutte, did not hide his dismay on Monday: "We really wonder what happened to these people? is not a demonstration, it is criminal violence. We do not take all these measures for pleasure. It is to fight against the virus. It is the virus which, at the moment, is depriving us of our freedom! " , he claimed.

Very attached to individual freedoms

The first curfew since World War II went into effect in the country on Saturday evening and applies from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.

In the name of the defense of freedom, the extreme right has already taken a stand against this measure, which arouses the anger of part of the population.

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For the Prime Minister, this curfew must make it possible to avoid confinement, while since the start of the health crisis, the Dutch have never had to justify their movements.

Since March, the Netherlands have never imposed real confinement on their population.

In this country very attached to individual freedom, like Sweden, until then there were only recommendations to deal with the crisis.

But the severity of the second wave and the fear of new variants changed that.