Anti-lockdown protests are "height of selfishness", says Manchester Mayor
15 May 2020, 09:25
Andy Burnham criticises anti-lockdown protest as "height of selfishness"
Andy Burnham has labelled the planned anti-lockdown protests as "the height of selfishness"
A number of 'Mass Gathering' events have been advertised as taking place at various locations across the UK this weekend, with posters advising people to 'bring a picnic' along.
The protests appear to have been organised by an anti-vaxxing group called the UK Freedom Movement.
One such event has been organised to take place in Manchester and the Mayor of Manchester didn't hold back with his criticism of the event. He told Nick Ferrari: "My goodness, this is the height of selfishness.
"We've had over 100 deaths in Greater Manchester over the last seven days and around 750 new cases.
"What do these people think they are doing? What point are they making?
"I don't think anybody will have any sympathy for what they are planning to do.
"We will have to have some police presence in place and there are a hundred things better that those police officers could be doing."
LBC spoke to some people in Hyde Park, where one of the protests is taking place and they were equally angry at the plan.
One told LBC: "I think they are ill-informed, maybe even crazy people. They need to listen to the scientists and look at what's happening in the world."
Another pointed out: "Our NHS, our police forces are working so hard, they are stretched enough as it is. And they think this is ok? I'm sorry, it's really selfish."
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