<p> As the prospect of a second virus wave fuels fears of new lockdowns in Europe and elsewhere, anger is growing in some quarters over crippling restrictions imposed to slow transmission of the disease.</p>.<p>From football fans to far-right conspiracy theorists to presidents, here is an overview of those who are protesting measures related to the pandemic.</p>.<p>A movement calling themselves Querdenken-711 or "Lateral thinkers-711" sprung up in the western German city of Stuttgart with anti-coronavirus restrictions demonstrations as early as in mid-April, days before Germany began to ease its lockdown on April 20.</p>.<p>The movement rails against the "dictatorship" of the corona measures and has held "vigils for the constitution".</p>.<p>Initiated by Michael Ballweg, an IT entrepreneur, the movement has snowballed, gathering along its way conspiracy theorists, anti-vaxxers and far-right or far-left activists.</p>.<p>Some 20,000 of them marched in central Berlin last weekend, most wearing no masks and failing to respect social distancing rules, sparking a hail of condemnation.</p>.<p>The movement has called new protests in Stuttgart on Saturday and in Dortmund on Sunday. Another round of demonstrations is also expected in Berlin on August 29.</p>.<p>In the Netherlands, similar groups have launched protests but the demonstrations have so far stayed small, although hardcore football supporters have joined in, openly seeking confrontation with police at demonstrations.</p>.<p>A group calling themselves "virus truth" is co-led by former biochemist-turned-dance instructor Willem Engel, who told local papers he was schooled in the Dutch tradition of individuality and the right to question decisions by the country's health authorities.</p>.<p>In July, dozens gathered in London to protest the face mask requirement in England's shops and supermarkets, many of them holding banners with widely discredited conspiracy theories -- such as coronavirus prevention measures being used for "mind control".</p>.<p>Romania has also seen a few hundred so-called coronasceptics -- holding religious icons, the national flag and signs that read "I believe in GOD, not in COVID" -- frequently protest in Bucharest against what they call a "sanitary dictatorship".</p>.<p>Small groups of protesters in Spain have meanwhile flouted one of the most stringent restrictions in Europe to march.</p>.<p>On July 12, police broke up an unauthorised gathering of a few dozen protesters shouting "no to dictatorship" and holding up anti-mask and anti-5G placards.</p>.<p>Beyond the grassroots, leading criticism against restrictions aimed at dampening transmission has come from top politicians themselves.</p>.<p>Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has fought stay-at-home measures to contain the virus, despite testing positive and spending three weeks in isolation after coming down with a fever last month.</p>.<p>Last week, in his first public event since his illness, he greeted a crowd of supporters in the northeastern state of Piaui, removing his face mask to loud cheers.</p>.<p>US President Donald Trump had adamantly refused to advocate for the wearing of masks until mid-July.</p>.<p>Many sheriffs -- who are often elected officials -- have also resisted enforcing state-imposed mask regulations in their counties.</p>.<p>In Italy, far-right leader Matteo Salvini was widely criticised last week after he spoke in the Senate without a mask, saying that "greeting with elbows is the end of the human race."</p>.<p>He has since backpedalled, saying that masks should be worn "when needed".</p>.<p>But in some countries, people have come out to express dissatisfaction at their government's failure to impose stricter measures.</p>.<p>Serbia saw a brief but intense outburst of anger in early July, when police clashed with protesters outraged over the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.</p>.<p>Demonstrators came out into the streets, accusing President Aleksandar Vucic of having facilitated a new wave of infections by lifting an initial lockdown for general elections that his party largely won.</p>.<p>Some demonstrators hurled stones, firecrackers and flares at police, who responded with tear gas.</p>.<p>In Sweden, which controversially adopted a softer approach to fighting the virus, demonstrators have called for tighter rather than looser measures.</p>.<p>A handful of protesters have regularly assembled outside the Public Health Agency's weekly press conferences in Stockholm.</p>
<p> As the prospect of a second virus wave fuels fears of new lockdowns in Europe and elsewhere, anger is growing in some quarters over crippling restrictions imposed to slow transmission of the disease.</p>.<p>From football fans to far-right conspiracy theorists to presidents, here is an overview of those who are protesting measures related to the pandemic.</p>.<p>A movement calling themselves Querdenken-711 or "Lateral thinkers-711" sprung up in the western German city of Stuttgart with anti-coronavirus restrictions demonstrations as early as in mid-April, days before Germany began to ease its lockdown on April 20.</p>.<p>The movement rails against the "dictatorship" of the corona measures and has held "vigils for the constitution".</p>.<p>Initiated by Michael Ballweg, an IT entrepreneur, the movement has snowballed, gathering along its way conspiracy theorists, anti-vaxxers and far-right or far-left activists.</p>.<p>Some 20,000 of them marched in central Berlin last weekend, most wearing no masks and failing to respect social distancing rules, sparking a hail of condemnation.</p>.<p>The movement has called new protests in Stuttgart on Saturday and in Dortmund on Sunday. Another round of demonstrations is also expected in Berlin on August 29.</p>.<p>In the Netherlands, similar groups have launched protests but the demonstrations have so far stayed small, although hardcore football supporters have joined in, openly seeking confrontation with police at demonstrations.</p>.<p>A group calling themselves "virus truth" is co-led by former biochemist-turned-dance instructor Willem Engel, who told local papers he was schooled in the Dutch tradition of individuality and the right to question decisions by the country's health authorities.</p>.<p>In July, dozens gathered in London to protest the face mask requirement in England's shops and supermarkets, many of them holding banners with widely discredited conspiracy theories -- such as coronavirus prevention measures being used for "mind control".</p>.<p>Romania has also seen a few hundred so-called coronasceptics -- holding religious icons, the national flag and signs that read "I believe in GOD, not in COVID" -- frequently protest in Bucharest against what they call a "sanitary dictatorship".</p>.<p>Small groups of protesters in Spain have meanwhile flouted one of the most stringent restrictions in Europe to march.</p>.<p>On July 12, police broke up an unauthorised gathering of a few dozen protesters shouting "no to dictatorship" and holding up anti-mask and anti-5G placards.</p>.<p>Beyond the grassroots, leading criticism against restrictions aimed at dampening transmission has come from top politicians themselves.</p>.<p>Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has fought stay-at-home measures to contain the virus, despite testing positive and spending three weeks in isolation after coming down with a fever last month.</p>.<p>Last week, in his first public event since his illness, he greeted a crowd of supporters in the northeastern state of Piaui, removing his face mask to loud cheers.</p>.<p>US President Donald Trump had adamantly refused to advocate for the wearing of masks until mid-July.</p>.<p>Many sheriffs -- who are often elected officials -- have also resisted enforcing state-imposed mask regulations in their counties.</p>.<p>In Italy, far-right leader Matteo Salvini was widely criticised last week after he spoke in the Senate without a mask, saying that "greeting with elbows is the end of the human race."</p>.<p>He has since backpedalled, saying that masks should be worn "when needed".</p>.<p>But in some countries, people have come out to express dissatisfaction at their government's failure to impose stricter measures.</p>.<p>Serbia saw a brief but intense outburst of anger in early July, when police clashed with protesters outraged over the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.</p>.<p>Demonstrators came out into the streets, accusing President Aleksandar Vucic of having facilitated a new wave of infections by lifting an initial lockdown for general elections that his party largely won.</p>.<p>Some demonstrators hurled stones, firecrackers and flares at police, who responded with tear gas.</p>.<p>In Sweden, which controversially adopted a softer approach to fighting the virus, demonstrators have called for tighter rather than looser measures.</p>.<p>A handful of protesters have regularly assembled outside the Public Health Agency's weekly press conferences in Stockholm.</p>