Police in southern Germany say eight people were arrested after violence during a protest by opponents of coronavirus restrictions and vaccinations.
Eight officers were punched or kicked as groups of people tried to break though police chains set up to prevent the protesters marching in the Bavarian town of Schweinfurt on Sunday evening, police said.
Officers used batons and pepper spray. Police said a 4-year-old child whose mother was among those trying to break through the barricades briefly had to be given medical attention after coming into contact with pepper spray.
Demonstrations against restrictions and a planned universal vaccine mandate have flared up in Germany at times in recent weeks. Authorities are in the process of implementing restrictions agreed last week to slow the spread of the new omicron variant. Four more states were introducing curbs Monday that include capping the number of people at private gatherings at 10, excluding children under 14.
