antine ▁led ▁to ▁days ▁of ▁protest , ▁physical ▁resistance ▁and ▁escape ▁attempts ▁over ▁f ences ▁or ▁the ▁se w age ▁system . ▁In ▁an ▁SE K ▁operation ▁with ▁protection ▁su its ▁and ▁t anks , ▁ 2 0 0 ▁police ▁forces ▁cal med ▁the ▁situation ▁and ▁re located ▁ 1 7 ▁off enders . ▁The ▁Inter ior ▁Minister ▁of ▁Lower ▁Sax ony ▁war ned ▁that ▁un true ▁news ▁could ▁trigger ▁pan ic ▁bu ying ▁and ▁conflicts , ▁and ▁demanded ▁laws ▁to ▁pun ish ▁publishing ▁wrong ▁information ▁regarding ▁the ▁supply ▁situation , ▁including ▁the ▁medical ▁one , ▁or ▁aspects ▁of ▁the ▁virus . ▁In ▁the ▁evening , ▁Mer kel ▁announced ▁that ▁she ▁and ▁other ▁EU ▁leaders ▁had ▁decided ▁on ▁an ▁immediate ▁travel ▁ban ▁into ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁for ▁ 3 0 ▁days ▁for ▁non - E U ▁citizens . ▁She ▁also ▁said ▁the ▁European ▁Commission ▁began ▁to ▁start ▁a ▁collect ive ▁tender ▁for ▁medical ▁g ear . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 8 ▁March , ▁Germany ▁w iden ed ▁its ▁travel ▁restrictions ▁to ▁EU ▁citizens ▁from ▁Italy , ▁Switzerland , ▁Den mark , ▁Luxemb ourg ▁and ▁Spain , ▁who ▁had ▁up ▁to ▁that ▁time ▁been ▁able ▁to ▁arrive ▁by ▁flight ▁or ▁ship . ▁Germany ▁still ▁received ▁fl ights ▁from ▁Iran ▁and ▁China ▁due ▁to ▁bil ater al ▁agre ements , ▁although ▁the ▁German ▁min istry ▁of ▁transport ation ▁had ▁said ▁two ▁days ▁earlier ▁it ▁would ▁forb id ▁passenger ▁fl ights ▁from ▁there . ▁The ▁passengers ▁were ▁not ▁tested ▁for ▁the ▁virus ▁and ▁their ▁temper atures