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The online dissent comes as the number of
deaths from COVID-19 in the United States passed 200,000 and
many countries in Europe are grappling with a second wave of
infections.
"I say 'NO' to all measures until the government can verifiably
justify this policy," a group of young Dutch entertainers wrote
in a series of Instagram posts coordinated with organisers of
protests against the restrictions.
The online celebrities have several million followers on
Instagram between them.
They include 21-year-old singer and Instagram model Famke
Louise, who took part in a Dutch government campaign promoting
social distancing rules in the spring but has now switched
sides.
"We can only get control of the government if we stick
together," she posted on Monday night. "I'm opting out."
Dutch Health Minister Hugo de Jonge, who is battling new
infections that jumped at a rate of more than 60% in the
Netherlands this week to pass 100,000, criticised that attitude.
"We have to ask questions and being critical is certainly
allowed, but just saying 'I am opting out' isn't an option," he
said. "It's irresponsible because they have huge influence on
young people. We need our youth, we need everyone to keep the
virus under control."
The debate in the Netherlands is playing out the world over
between people frustrated about restrictions on their lives and
those who support governments' attempts to stop the virus, which
has infected more than 31 million people.
Popular TikTok "influencers" Bryce Hall and Blake Gray were
charged in the United States for throwing parties in Los Angeles
at which hundreds of revellers were pictured ignoring social
distancing rules.
Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer said that with a combined
19 million followers on TikTok, the stars should be "modelling
good behaviour - not brazenly violating the law and posting
videos about it."
In Britain, Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher has voiced doubts
about the effectiveness of wearing masks, while Van Morrison is
releasing three songs to protest against "the way the government
has taken away personal freedoms," his website said.
He is donating profits from the tracks to musicians who have
suffered financial hardship because of the coronavirus,
according to the BBC.
But flouting government rules faces a backlash of its own, and
social media campaigns including the #WearADamnMask hashtag have
attracted support from major stars.
U.S. actors Bryan Cranston and Tom Hanks, both of whom
contracted the virus and recovered, have also made public
appeals for people to wear masks as a courtesy to others.
(Reporting by Anthony Deutsch in Amsterdam; Additional reporting
by Emma Pinedo in Madrid; Editing by Mike Collett-White)
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