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"Think outside the box" demo in Leipzig: It shouldn't be repeated
Photo: Karl-Josef Hildenbrand / dpa
The Saxon state government is drawing the first conclusions from the "lateral thinking" demo in Leipzig that got out of hand.
Meetings are to be limited to 1000 participants in the future.
In individual cases, larger rallies should also be possible if technical and organizational measures are taken to reduce the risk of infection, said government spokesman Ralph Schreiber after a cabinet meeting.
So far, the Saxon Corona Protection Ordinance does not provide for any limitation on meetings.
The new regulation should apply from Friday.
On Saturday more than 20,000 self-proclaimed "lateral thinkers" gathered in Leipzig.
According to the police, 90 percent of the participants did not wear masks, although these are currently required at meetings in Saxony.
The city of Leipzig dissolved the rally, whereupon the situation escalated in some places: police barriers were broken, there were scuffles and attacks.
The chaotic processes in Leipzig have sparked a fierce national debate about gatherings in a pandemic.
The Mayor of Leipzig Burkhard Jung (SPD) called for fixed rules of the game.
The SPD politician said that it must be clarified how important freedom of assembly is compared to the basic right to the integrity of the individual.
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier sharply criticized the opponents of the state corona policy, who demonstrated in Leipzig, largely disregarding all conditions.
"Recklessness is not a right to freedom," he said.
"Where tens of thousands of people disregard the requirements, mock the rules and neither keep their distance nor wear masks, borders are exceeded."
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mxw / dpa