Thousands hold protests against COVID rules and compulsory vaccines in Germany

Several thousand people protested in Germany on Saturday against regulations to contain the spread of the coronavirus and compulsory vaccinations, while smaller groups staged counter-demonstrations.

More than 1,000 people protested peacefully in the western cities of Stuttgart and Offenbach, police said.

In Stuttgart, the demonstrators stopped in front of the building of public broadcaster Südwestrundfunk (SWR) to criticize the media's coverage of the pandemic.

They repeated calls of "Lügenpresse" (lying press) and "Wir sind das Volk" (We are the people), a witness said. The police meanwhile told participants to wear protective face masks.

A journalists' union criticized the protest and repudiated the accusation that SWR is told what to report. "At the same time, to demand that media should report in their own terms is absurd. This reveals little understanding of how independent media works," said Markus Pfalzgraf who heads the state branch of the German Journalists' Association (DJV).

The Offenbach rally, which drew some 1,200 people, was initially peaceful, police said. Meanwhile 300 people gathered for a counter-demonstration.

In the northern city of Schwerin, some 1,100 people came to a rally, police said. Officers intervened when one of the participants insulted the 30 participants who turned out to a counter-demonstration. Officers filed a criminal complaint against the man for allegedly pushing a passer-by as he left the rally.

Further rallies were conducted in Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Chemnitz, Leipzig, Dresden and Freiburg.

Some 3,300 people came to two events in Hamburg's Barmbek district, police said, while a third demonstration was held in the north of the city, drawing 1,600 attendees.

The protesters lofted banners that said "We unite. For a better future" opposing the pandemic rules. Some did not wear masks and failed to maintain a distance from others, so the police approached the organizer.

Police in Berlin meanwhile are investigating the scene of people opposing the government's health measures, after a suspected case of arson following a demonstration.

The altar in the Paul Gerhardt Church in the Mitte district was burned on Thursday, prompting shock and anger.

"Anyone who sets fire to a place of worship is attacking religious freedom and thus the values of our Basic Law," said lawmaker Bettina Jarasch on Saturday.

Initial investigations revealed that a witness had seen a man leaving the church in a hurry shortly before, according to the police.

Protests against health regulations have been staged in the area, but police underlined there were no concrete indications that the rallies were linked with the fire.

Police are investigating all possible avenues, a spokesperson said.