Story By: Amanda Morales, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
Hundreds of demonstrators have taken to the streets to protest against the Canary Islands’ strict new measures to combat COVID-19.
The protests were held simultaneously on the islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria in the autonomous community of the Canary Islands, the southernmost region of Spain, on Sunday 16th August.
According to local newspaper El Dia, the Tenerife protest brought together around 100 people and finished without incident.
Demonstrators held up banners with messages suggesting the political reaction to the pandemic has been overblown.
One placard read: “Leading causes of death in the world in 2017: cardiovascular diseases 17,790,949 victims, cancer 9,556,245 victims, respiratory diseases 3,914,916 victims, lung infections 2,558,606 victims, dementia 2,514,749 victims, total deaths from COVID-19 760,000. Is this really a pandemic?”
Local newspaper Canarias7 said that around 100 people gathered in Gran Canaria to protest against the mandated use of face masks in public as well as social distancing measures, among others.
The National Police reportedly had to intervene in several unspecified incidents during the protest.
Canary Islands Government spokesperson Anselmo Pestana said that around 270 reports were made for protesters not wearing face masks.
The protests followed new measures by the regional government which included the obligatory use of masks in public as well as a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people in public spaces.
Smoking has also been prohibited in public when a two-metre distance cannot be maintained.
According to official figures from the Canary Islands Government, there have been 3,690 cases of COVID-19 for a population of 2.15 million.
Of those infected, 166 have died, 2,473 have made a full recovery, and 1,051 cases are still active.
According to the latest figures from the John Hopkins University, there have been 359,082 cases of COVID-19 and 28,646 related deaths in Spain.
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