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If hundreds of thousands of people in a democracy are protesting, you have to listen to them, said Russell Brand.
In a new video, Brand highlighted the protests against COVID restrictions, including vaccine passports and vaccine mandates, that have swept across Europe.
“Where do you stand on vaccine passports?” asked Brand. “Do you think vaccines should be mandatory? Or do you think the government should stay out of your business?”
In Athens, more than 4,000 people flooded the streets to protest the Greek government for passing vaccine mandates for healthcare workers.
In Paris, about 160,000 people joined forces to protest a bill requiring vaccine passports to enter restaurants, and vaccine mandates for healthcare workers.
In Italy, thousands of people protested the government’s requirement to show a “green pass,” (an extension of the European Union’s digital COVID certificate) to enter concerts, cinemas, museums, theaters and other public venues.
In Australia, about 3,500 people defied a statewide state-at-home order to protest Sydney’s month-long lockdown.
A democracy is “meaningless,” said Brand, if the only opinions you respect are the opinions of people that agree with you.
Brand said:
“That’s not a democracy. That’s an authoritarian dictatorship. If this many people are protesting on this scale, and their voices are not heard, then you know for sure one thing: You do not live in a democracy.”
Watch the video:
