POLICE have urged people not to ‘significantly’ risk the spread of coronavirus by joining mass protests this weekend.
Flyers for various mass gatherings have been reported on social media nationally to encourage crowds and picnics, despite the governments guidelines against such events.
Protests have been advertised in both Reading and the Wokingham borough, but the chronicle has chosen not to publish these details.
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For anyone ignoring government guidelines, Thames Valley Police said it will enforce the law fairly and appropriately, seeking to “engage, explain and encourage, with enforcement as a last resort”.
The events have been slammed as “an infantile expression of self-indulgence and utterly irresponsible” by leader of Reading Borough Council (RBC) Jason Brock.
Prime minister Boris Johnson announced on Sunday how the government plans to ease lockdown measures from this week.
This included changes that allow people to do unlimited exercise and to meet with one person outside your household.
However, lockdown measures still instruct people to maintain social distancing of two metres and to stay alert.
Fines of £100 can now be handed out by the police to those breaching coronavirus regulations.
Government guidelines on easing lockdown measure can be found here.
Steve Williams, Head of the Joint Operations Unit collaboration between Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police, said: “The government has been clear that they do not want large gatherings of people in public places as this poses a significant risk of transmission.
“Our local communities will also not want large gatherings when we are all trying to protect our loved-ones during this pandemic that has killed so many thousands of people.”
The mass gathering plans have been slammed by leaders of both Reading Borough Council (RBC) and Wokingham Borough Council (WBC).
RBC leader Mr Brock said: “This is not a protest, it’s an infantile expression of self-indulgence.
“The notion of a mass gathering at the present time is utterly irresponsible and, frankly, shows a reprehensible disregard for our universal duty to suppress the spread of the virus and protect those more vulnerable in our community.”
Wokingham Borough Council leader John Halsall added: “We have really worked hard and it has cost a lot of money and lives to get where we are and to risk it in that sort of way is totally irresponsible.”
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Organisers of the mass gathering events are encouraging people to “say no to the coronavirus bill, mandatory vaccines and the unlawful lockdown”.
The gatherings are part of a series of events which are reportedly organised by the UK Freedom Movement and are taking place in cities across the UK, such as London, Sheffield, Edinburgh and Cardiff.
Chief Superintendent Williams added: “We are really grateful to those members of the public who have contacted us with their concerns and we are now reviewing this information and the reports we have received from the public.
“We will continue to assess the information we have in the coming days to ensure that we are able to respond to any unlawful activity and enforce the law fairly and appropriately.”
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