From Friday, December 10th through Sunday December 12th, there will be at least two planned demonstrations in Luxembourg City to protest COVID vaccination mandates and restrictions. One protest will start in the Glacis Parking Lot at approximately 1400 on Saturday the 11th. This is expected to have 2,000 participants. Another protest is planned for Sunday, a so called “White March” in which protesters silently hold candles, and is expected to see 1500 participants. That protest is expected to start at the Philharmonie, near the Place de l’Europe in Kirchberg. Some media reports have indicated a possible demonstration on Friday, which police would also direct to take place along the Glacis to Place d L’Europe corridor.
On December 4th, 2021, Anti—COVID restrictions protestors in Luxembourg City committed unexpected acts of violence. In response to this, Luxembourg government has restricted all large gatherings from 10 through 12 December to the area from the Glacis Parking Lot, across the Grand Duchess Charlotte Bridge to the Place de l’Europe in the Kirchberg neighborhood. (See map below.)
Luxembourg Police warn that the protestors may become violent, particularly following the small scale violence in similar protests on December 4th, 2021. Police will be present to monitor the demonstrations and are being augmented with assistance from neighboring countries.
There is no current information suggesting that the U.S. Mission or U.S. citizens are the targets of these protests. The Regional Security Office will monitor the protest and
coordinate with the Police for additional information. There is no significant change to Mission security posture.
However, given the proximity of the Embassy to the Glacis and the protest route, and the potential for protests to spill into pedestrian areas and Christmas Markets, Mission
personnel and their family members are encouraged to exercise caution and avoid the protest area, as demonstrations can quickly become unpredictable.
As of 1600 on Thursday, December 9th, there are no street closures in effect, but that is expected to change. The protests will likely cause traffic congestion in the area of the Glacis, Kirchberg, and greater downtown Luxembourg City. Please check with local media sources, and Luxembourg Government site VDL.lu for the latest on traffic closure or public transit changes. Please check your route prior to departure and plan your travel accordingly.
For more information, go to:
https://www.vdl.lu/en
For information regarding locations of Christmas Markets, please go to:
https://www.vdl.lu/en/visiting/leisure-and-recreation/festivals-fairs-and-events/winterlights-0
Anti-COVID Restrictions Demonstrations, December 10-12, 2021
