People who violate sanitary measures at protests may be subjected to police fines or warnings, said Henri Kox in his parliamentary response. In some cases, the event organisers may be fined by police, with the matter taken to the public prosecutor.
He added that contrary to popular belief, this has always been the case for demonstrations in the Covid era. Violations include protesters refusing to wear masks or failing to observe social distancing. The police work is complicated by protesters who claim to be medically exempt from wearing face coverings, Kox said.
The judiciary authorities decide on individual actions, said Kox. He explained the objective of the police should always be to de-escalate situations, while respecting constitutional and personal rights.
