More than 200,000 people demonstrated Saturday against the extension of the health certificate in several cities in France for the third time over the weekend, according to Interior Ministry figures.
At 18:00, the Ministry of Interior estimated the number of protesters at 204,090 people, including 14,250 in Paris.
And last Saturday, the protests gathered 161 thousand people, and 110 thousand a week ago.
The situation was tense in the evening in the capital in Bastille Square, after the arrival of the main march against the health certificate and the police used tear gas and water cannons in response to the projectiles of the demonstrators.
Before the protesters set out, Jerome Rodriguez, one of the leaders of the "yellow vest" movement against the government´s social policy, criticized "members of the government and the media who are trying to convince us of the effectiveness of a vaccine without having any evidence."
More than three thousand police and gendarmes were mobilized to supervise the marches, a week after the demonstrators descended on the Champs-Elysees, which closed its doors on Saturday.
The demonstration in Rennes (west) attracted 2,900 people, "without recording incidents so far," according to what the Security Directorate told AFP in the afternoon, which represents an increase in mobilization compared to last Saturday (2,200 people).
"I am a Macron Jew", "vaccinate me against fascism and capitalism" and "False media!" We want the truth.”
In the cities of the southeast, the authorities counted more than 20,000 people, mainly in the cities of Montpellier (8,500) and Nice (6,500).
One banner read, “President, Representatives, Senators, Scientists and Journalists are all cowards,” and on another, “I am not a guinea pig.”
In the night (in the north), more than two thousand people, including many “yellow vests,” marched chanting “Freedom, freedom” or “We do not want health certificates, nor forced martyrdoms.”
Last Sunday, the French Parliament approved the health certificate, which requires the presentation of a full certificate of vaccination against Covid-19 or a recent negative examination.
The country is currently witnessing an outbreak of the epidemic (more than 24,300 new cases Friday), especially in tourist areas due to the highly contagious Delta mutant.
The Corona virus has killed 111,855 people in France since the beginning of the epidemic.
The health certificate in force in cultural and entertainment venues since July 21, has been expanded to include cafes, galleries, restaurants and trains as of August 9.
A study published Friday showed that people who are not vaccinated against Covid-19 represent about 85% of patients in hospitals in France, including those in intensive care, and 78% of deaths are caused by the virus.
More than 50% of the French population has become fully vaccinated this week.
