Israel’s parliament has passed a new law according to which mass protests during the country’s second nationwide coronavirus lockdown would be banned.

Demonstrators will be confined to groups of up to 20 people and must stay within 1 km (0.6 miles) of their homes.

This rule comes in the aftermath of weeks, in which thousands of people gathered outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s official residence in Jerusalem to demand he resigned over corruption allegations and his handling of the pandemic. 

Netanyahu has, however, denied any wrongdoing.

And the protests have continued despite a dramatic resurgence of coronavirus cases in the country.

The protests have just not been unsafe for the prime minister, but have also risked the lives of so many people. An entire democracy continues to suffer.

Israel has reported more than 237,000 coronavirus cases and 1,528 deaths, and by passing the law, it has set a benchmark for democracies worldwide.