Tens of thousands of people in Germany and France protested against COVID-19 rules and vaccinate passports over the weekend, saying the restrictions infringe on their rights. German police had banned nine planned demonstrations for Saturday, including one from the Stuttgart-based Querdenker movement, the most visible anti-lockdown movement in Germany. A court ruled in favor of allowing one event, planned for 500 people, on Saturday and Sunday. More than 2,000 police officers were stationed around the city to respond to those who showed up despite the bans. At one protest Saturday evening in Mitte, German media reported that police used pepper spray to disperse a crowd. The crowd eventually thinned as it began to rain. Demonstrators in Dusseldorf held banners that read, “Stop police arbitrariness,” “Protect the fundamental right to demonstrate,” and “Repel attacks on freedom of assembly,” reported Deutsche Welle. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia is planning an assembly law that its …