Austria brings back COVID lockdown amid angry protests across Europe

Restrictions re-imposed on Europeans to stem a rising wave of new COVID-19 infections sparked angry protests in a handful of countries over the weekend, with the angst descending into violent clashes with police in a handful of nations. Austria was back under a full nationwide coronavirus lockdown on Monday — the first EU country to reinstitute the drastic measure amid fears of a deadly fourth wave.

About 50,000 people came out to protest over the weekend against the country's 4th coronavirus lockdown and an accompanying national vaccine mandate that will kick in from February. Some 40,000 demonstrators gathered for a rally, organized by the far-right Freedom Party, in the capital city of Vienna alone.