Hello and welcome to The independent ‘live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic across Europe.

Stay tuned for live updates.

Rotterdam police used a water cannon and fired shots in an attempt to disperse hundreds of rioters during a violent anti-lockdown protest on Friday evening.

The protest was in response to the Dutch government’s plan to introduce a law that would prevent unvaccinated people from accessing certain sites. This follows the reimposition of a partial lockdown a week ago – essential bars, restaurants and shops are now legally required to close at 8 p.m.

At least two people were shot dead and seven were reportedly injured, including police officers.

My colleague Tom Batchelor reports.

Holiday plans are uncertain for up to 100,000 Britons as Covid-19 restrictions return in many parts of Europe, following an increase in cases.

Austria became the first European country to re-impose a full lockdown on Monday

Likewise, Germany appears to be considering a lockdown, as it faces a fourth wave of infections which, according to outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel, has hit the country “head-on”. The country has already canceled the Munich Christmas market which was due to start next weekend.

Meanwhile, infections continue to skyrocket in the Netherlands, where 23,000 new cases on Thursday – nearly double the peak of 13,000 reached in December 2020 – despite a three-week partial lockdown last week, under which bars, restaurants and essential shops are required to close at 8 p.m.

scientific correspondent Samuel lovett reports.

Speaking to reporters in the early hours of Saturday morning, the mayor of Rotterdam criticized the anti-containment riots observed in the port city on Friday evening.

Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb said: “On several occasions, the police felt it necessary to draw their weapons in defense”, and “even to fire direct shots”.

It was “an orgy of violence,” he said. “I can’t think of another way to describe it.”

Scenes from the anti-containment demonstration in Rotterdam:

The Czech Republic reported 22,936 new cases of the coronavirus on Friday, the highest daily tally since the start of the pandemic.

The country also recorded 110 deaths on Thursday, marking the first time the death toll has exceeded 100 since April.

The government has decided to increase restrictions in an effort to ease the burden on hospitals. From next Monday, only people vaccinated or cured of Covid-19 in the past six months will be able to enter bars, restaurants and hotels, or visit hairdressers, museums and similar facilities.

To date, the country of 10.7 million people has recorded nearly two million cases of Covid, and 32,005 deaths.

It is hoped that the new measures will encourage more people to get vaccinated. According to Our World in Data, only 58.2% of the population of the Czech Republic is fully vaccinated.

Visitors to the Belfast Christmas Market will now need to prove their Covid negative status in order to access the event.

Previously, event planners had said these measures would only apply on weekends and busy days, but said on Friday the rule would be in place at all times.

In a statement shared on Facebook, they said the decision was made before the rollout of the Covid passport program in Northern Ireland, which is expected to be introduced on November 29.

The supporting documents accepted include: Covid passports, proof of vaccination, negative Covid tests carried out in the previous 48 hours (lateral flow or PCR) and proof of recovery from Covid, by means of a positive PCR test carried out in the 30 to 180 previous days.

Organizers added that they “recommend the wearing of masks for everyone present” and “encourage payment by card rather than cash” to reduce the likelihood of the virus spreading while protecting staff and customers.

The market opens today at noon in front of Belfast City Hall.

Slovakia reported 9,171 new cases of Covid on Friday, marking its highest number of daily cases since the start of the pandemic.

Slovakia currently has the third lowest vaccination rate in the EU with around 45% of the population having received two doses of a Covid vaccine.

Earlier this week, the Slovak government imposed tighter Covid restrictions, which Prime Minister Eduard Heger called “lockdown for the unvaccinated”, in hopes of easing the burden on the country’s already overwhelmed hospitals.

According to Our World in Data, Slovakia currently has the worst reported epidemic situation in the world, with a seven-day incidence rate of 11,500 new infections per 1,000,000 population.

While Austria, the Netherlands, France, Germany and Sweden advise or order their citizens to wear masks, avoid crowded spaces, work from home, maintain social distancing and d ‘get vaccine passports, the so-called “eastern blizzard” continues to gather storm force.

Scotland and Wales have started to implement elements of England’s ‘Plan B’, but England, under Boris Johnson’s leadership, is determined to follow the path, trusting the defensive wall. immunization coverage rather than implementing additional measures to stem the growing spread of infection.

While the mitigation measures may cause some inconvenience, this pales in comparison to the prospect of a full lockdown, and it is hard to see the downside of these policies when used to protect the NHS and protect the prospect of a “normal” Christmas. .

Read more about The independentthe latest editorial from on the Covid-19 pandemic below.

Thousands of protesters are expected to gather in Vienna today, protesting against the national lockdown.

The lockdown, which is due to start on Monday, was announced on Friday and aims to contain the surge in Covid cases across the country. Under the new measures, most stores are to close and cultural events will be canceled. People will only be allowed to leave their homes for specific reasons, including shopping for groceries, going to medical appointments and exercising. It should last 20 days at most.

The government also announced that from February 1, the country will make vaccinations mandatory.

Austria’s far-right opposition, the Freedom Party, is among those calling for the protest. Party leader Herbert Kickl, who will be unable to attend the protest after testing positive for the virus earlier this week, called the new measures “dictatorship.”