Berlin (dpa) - Thousands of people across Germany demonstrated against coronavirus-related restrictions on Saturday, in some cases with far more participants showing up than had been approved.

In the southern city of Munich, far more people than the 1,000 participants approved by the city wanted to demonstrate. Police did not allow any more people into the cordoned-off demonstration area set up on the Theresienwiese, where the annual Oktoberfest beer festival usually takes place.

The overflow participants lined up along pavements in the area before police began taking them away. Protesters remained largely peaceful.

Munich had allowed a maximum of 1,000 protesters to demonstrate, as long as they kept 1.5 metres apart and stuck to a time limit of two hours.

Several other cities in Bavaria, as well as other parts of Germany, also saw protests.

Dozens of people took part in various demonstrations in the heart of Berlin on Saturday, with nearly 1,000 police officers on hand to ensure that they followed coronavirus safety precautions.

At Alexanderplatz alone, near the city's landmark Television Tower, four different protests took place. Officers made sure that no more than 50 people were standing together, cordoned off by red-and-white tape.

People within the taped-off areas had to stay 1.5 metres apart.

More than 40 demonstrators, with loudspeakers and banners, were protesting against coronavirus conspiracy theories and in support of refugees' rights, while a few metres away, dozens demonstrated against coronavirus restrictions and mandatory vaccination.

Another group of protesters were at Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, the site of demonstrations against hygiene rules over the past few weeks.

Last Saturday, more than 1,200 people gathered at Alexanderplatz to take part in protests, not all of which were allowed.

In the western city of Stuttgart, thousands showed up. While only 5,000 participants were officially allowed to gather at the approved area, many more came together outside the designated area.

Demonstrations also took place in the central state of Hesse, with police in Frankfurt having trouble keeping protesters and counterprotesters apart. Each side numbered about 1,500 participants.

One man was arrested after giving the Hitler salute, which is illegal in Germany. However, while there were occasional heated exchanges of words, there was no physical violence, according to police.

Demonstrations against the restrictions, often disregarding current social distancing and hygiene rules, have taken place over the past few weeks across Germany. Conspiracy theorists, anti-vaxxers and right-wing populists have been among those protesting.