A formal statement by Greater Manchester Police has been released this morning following the large-scale anti-lockdown demonstrations that took place in Manchester city centre last weekend.
Assistant Chief Constable Nick Bailey and Bev Hughes – Deputy Mayor for Policing, Crime and Criminal Justice – have issued a plea urging the public to consider the impact that meeting in large gatherings has on communities and the health service, and have appealed to anyone who may be considering organising or attending illegal mass gatherings and protests to “reconsider”.
It comes ahead of the second weekend in national lockdown and follows last weekend’s joint anti-lockdown, anti-mask, anti-vaccine and anti-establishment demonstrations in Piccadilly Gardens.
Under national lockdown restrictions currently in place across England, only two people from different households are permitted to meet outside in public.
From 5 November until 2 December you must not leave your home except for specific reasons.
By staying at home you can #DoYourBit to help Greater Manchester to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
In the statement published via the Greater Manchester Police Website this morning, ACC Nick Bailey said: “Following the events over the weekend which saw more than 600 people gather at Piccadilly Gardens, I want to appeal to anyone who may be considering organising or attending illegal mass gatherings and protests to reconsider, and to think about the impact these events are having on our communities, on our health service and the ability of police to keep the public safe.
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“We are all familiar with the risks the coronavirus presents, and the gatherings we have seen to protest are against COVID legislation, and risk spreading the virus and prolonging the restrictions placed on our region.
“Since Thursday 5 November, the legislation has changed, and protests are no longer exempt from these restrictions. This now means that whilst we are in lockdown, any gatherings of more than two people outside who don’t live together are illegal, and police are obligated to disperse these gatherings.
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“Whilst we will continue to engage with individuals, explain restrictions and encourage compliance before enforcing, people must take responsibility for their actions, and where gatherings or protests take place we are obliged to take action through dispersal and the imposing of fines to attendees and organisers.”
He continued: “Greater Manchester Police has a long history of facilitating safe protest and respecting people’s rights to protest, but we are currently in a very different position, and whilst Greater Manchester suffers through the pandemic our top priority is to keep the public safe.
“Therefore we simply cannot sit back and allow these gatherings to take place.
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“We all want to come out of the health crisis with a clear conscience knowing we did everything we could to stop the spread of the virus.
“So I am today asking the public to do their bit during the lockdown, allow us to use our resources where it is most needed, and reduce the demand on our health service by staying away from protests and other large gatherings.”
Bev Hughes added: “We must continue to abide by the regulations because we know that if we stick to them we will see a reduction, and at a faster pace.”
For the latest information, guidance and support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK, please do refer to official sources at gov.uk/coronavirus.
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Man City release statement after being found guilty of all charges related to Premier League’s financial rules
Emily Sergeant
Manchester City has finally broken its silence after being found guilty all of its charges related to the Premier League’s financial rules.
Yesterday, the Premier League released a formal statement confirming that an independent Commission had found Manchester City guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-season period.
On top of that, the club was also found guilty of the majority of charges in relation to its failure to co-operate with the League’s investigation.
According to the Premier League, the independent Commission found that Manchester City had arranged so-called ‘sham’ commercial deals with a number of its sponsors during the nine-season period – which were part of a disguised funding scheme, with those sponsors only required to pay a portion of the relevant sponsorship fees.
The remainder was then funded by Abu Dhabi United Group Investment & Development Ltd (ADUG), which owned the club.
The Commission also concluded, as quoted by the Premier League, that the club had ‘made concerted efforts to stop and frustrate the Premier League investigation’.
Following this report being published yesterday, Manchester City has now finally released a statement of its own, breaking its silence on the topic for the first time since the news broke last Friday.
The statement reads in full: “Manchester City FC is both disappointed and surprised by the opinion of the Premier League Commission, that has been published today.
“The Club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions, relating to this case. The Club will therefore be relentless, and where necessary proactive, in any and all appropriate regulatory and legal forums.
“The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements uncompleted. Manchester City FC will now pursue the appeal avenues open to it, on the basis that the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe.
“The Club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League Board and Executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.
“The Club is obviously restricted in what it can say further until all future proceedings are complete.”
Featured Image – The Manc Group
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Scheme approved and date set for work to begin on Piccadilly Gardens transformation
Emily Sergeant
The long-awaited Piccadilly Gardens transformation is a go.
It’s official – planners have given the green light for the scheme to transform Piccadilly Gardens, with Manchester City Council having received no objections to the proposals which meant that officials were able to approve the full planning application without it needing to be considered at next month’s Planning Committee.
The decision means that preparation works can continue at pace, ready for the main works due to get underway this autumn.
In case you aren’t up to date with the Piccadilly Gardens transformation plans, the idea is, in a nutshell, to put the ‘Gardens’ back in Piccadilly Gardens.
But what exactly does this mean?
Well, the approved plans show a vision for more green space – including lawns, trees, planting, seating, and colourful horticultural displays – with the temperamental fountains being removed for good and replaced with a new space called The Pavilion that will host family-friendly events.
Date set for work to begin on Piccadilly Gardens transformation / Credit: Supplied
The low concrete walls and raised planters at the edge of the gardens will be ripped out, improving the setting of the Queen Victoria statue.
An there’ll be a new, larger playground for younger children, created in the same high-quality style as the new parks at Mayfield Park and Ancoats Green.
The plan is to also make the space ‘safer’ overall, through improved sightlines, better lighting, and enhanced CCTV.
The Council and its partners say they are ‘clear’ that delivering a ‘better’ Piccadilly Gardens cannot just be about physical improvements, but it also requires improvements to how the area is managed and maintained.
We're putting the Gardens back into Piccadilly Gardens
The major regeneration plan to transform the square has now been approved by planners.
This means we can start work this autumn to make the Gardens more colourful, vibrant and safer for residents and visitors. pic.twitter.com/5Ayv2k9SRw
This process is said to have already started, primarily with a strengthened police presence, but a new management model is also being developed to ensure that improvements are sustained.
“Securing planning permission means that before this year is out, we can get started properly on work to transform the space and have it finished and ready for the public to use next year,” explained Councillor Garry Bridges, who is the Leader of Manchester City Council.
“Piccadilly Gardens has huge potential to be a real asset to the city and its people. We know it hasn’t been good enough – but that’s about to change.”
The Manc -
13th November 2020 
