Ahead of Biden-Merkel visit, protesters urge waiver of intellectual property rights to boost vaccine production

Record ID: 1626743

  • Title: Ahead of Biden-Merkel visit, protesters urge waiver of intellectual property rights to boost vaccine production
  • Date: 15th July 2021
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (JULY 15, 2021) (REUTERS) BODY BAGS LAID OUT NEAR THE WHITE HOUSE AS PART OF A "DIE-IN" PROTEST POSTER ON A BODY BAG THAT READS "GERMANY, STOP BLOCKING GLOBAL COVID VACCINES" PUPPET OF GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL SIDE VIEW OF BODY BAGS PROTESTERS STANDING IN FRONT OF GIANT PUPPET CLOSE OF PUPPET'S FACE PROTESTER HOLDING UP POSTER TWO PROTESTERS HOLDING UP POSTER THAT READS "GERMANY, STOP BLOCKING GLOBAL COVID VACCINES" TILT-DOWN FROM FACE OF PROTESTER TO POSTER THAT READS "DELAY=DEATH" MORE OF PUPPET VARIOUS OF ACTIVIST LAURA PERALTA-SCHULTE, CHIEF LOBBYIST FOR NETWORK LOBBY FOR CATHOLIC SOCIAL JUSTICE, SPEAKING AT PROTEST VARIOUS OF BODY BAGS PAN FROM WHITE HOUSE TO BODY BAGS
  • Embargoed: 29th July 2021 16:08
  • Keywords: Merkel protests Washington protests vaccine protests
  • Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
  • City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Health/Medicine,United States
  • Reuters ID: LVA001ELYDC1Z
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Rows of black body bags lined the street outside the White House on Thursday (July 15) as a part of a "die-in" protest ahead of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's meeting with President Joe Biden.
    Protesters want Germany to end its opposition to a COVID-19 related waiver of intellectual property rights under global trade rules. Germany is leading EU opposition to the proposed waiver being discussed at the World Trade Organization
    Protesters held signs that read, "Germany, stop blocking global Covid vaccines" and "Delay = Death".
    A giant puppet intended to depict Merkel towered over the protesters. The body bags represented the global number of deaths caused by the COVID-19 virus since the temporary waiver was first proposed in October 2020, organizers said in a press release.
    Supporters of the waiver, including Biden administration officials, say it will help boost global production of coronavirus vaccines.
    German officials and pharmaceutical companies have argued that companies invested their own funds to develop vaccines and that waiving their IP rights would undermine such work in the future.
    Merkel will meet with Biden at the White House on Thursday for a wide-ranging discussion that will touch on the global response to the pandemic and the proposed waiver of IP rights.
    (Production: Kevin Fogarty, Pavithra George)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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