Anti-vaccine passport demonstrators marched through the rain to slam the mandatory health policy in France as the country battled its fourth wave of Covid-19 infections.

Footage shows hundreds of demonstrators armed with umbrellas and raincoats, gathering for the protest at the Rue Garibaldi in Lyon on August 7.

The protest came two days before the vaccine passports were due to become mandatory for long-distance travel.

Similar movements have sprung up in Italy, with protesters saying the obligatory health passes are an infringement of their civil liberties.

The vaccination cards contain a person's Covid-19 data, including vaccination status and test results. These passports would be required before anyone could enter public areas including supermarkets, restaurants, museums, and sports stadiums.

The same controversy had been seen in the UK where ministers suggested vaccine passports could become mandatory in nightclubs.