VIENNA, Reuters – Thousands protested Saturday in Vienna against restrictions on coronavirus. This was just a day after Austria announced a new lockdown, and that vaccines will be compulsory for next year.

People gathered in Heroes’ Square to protest the Hofburg, an ex-imperial palace located in central Vienna. They clapped, whistled, played horns, banged drums, and whirled. Numerous protesters held Austrian and other flags, and displayed signs that read “no vaccination”, “enough” or “downwith the fascist dictatorship”.

A little over 66% of Austrians are fully immunized against COVID-19. This is one of the lowest rates of vaccination in Western Europe. Many Austrians have reservations about vaccines. The Freedom Party is the third-biggest party in parliament.

With daily infections still setting records even after a lockdown was imposed on the unvaccinated this week, the government said on Friday it would send Austria back into lockdown https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/austria-reimposes-full-lockdown-makes-vaccination-compulsory-2021-11-19 as of Monday and make it compulsory to get vaccinated as of Feb. 1.

FPO leaders Herbert Kickl and Freedom Party (FPO), who had planned a force show in Vienna Saturday night, were triggered by Friday’s announcement. Kickl replied that Austria “is a dictatorship as it stands today”.

Kickl couldn’t attend as he was infected with COVID-19. But thousands responded to the FPO’s calls for protesters across the city.

One protester, who had tin foil covering his head and a pair of toilet brush in both of their hands said that “We’re not for our government’s actions.” They declined to identify themselves, but they were festive, like most of the protestors who spoke with the media.