Coronavirus: How German protesters are trivializing Nazi-era persecution

Fresh protests have broken out in Germany against measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic. The rallies have provided a backdrop for demonstrators to compare themselves to victims of Nazi persecution.

At one demonstration last weekend, a young woman, who introduced herself as “Jana from Kassel” drew a shocking parallel: “I feel,” she said, “like Sophie Scholl because I’ve been active in the resistance movement for months.” Sophie Scholl and her brother Hans founded the White Rose group in 1942. Together with other members of the group they were arrested and executed after being caught distributing anti-Nazi leaflets.