NURSES ‘COPPED’
POLICE broke up a nurses’ rally in protest at the Government’s 1% pay rise after ruling it breached lockdown laws.
A 61-year-old woman who organised yesterday’s demo was fined £10,000.
And a 65-year-old woman was given a £200 fixed penalty for failing to give her details when she was arrested after refusing to leave the protest in Manchester.
The force’s Supt Caroline Hemingway said: “We sought to engage with and peaceably disperse those attending this afternoon’s protest, explaining that the gathering was in contravention of lockdown rules. Unfortunately officers were met with a degree of non-compliance and it was therefore necessary to enforce issue fixed penalty notices.’’
Health workers organised the demonstration in outrage at the Government’s wage-rise recommendation for staff.
Though peaceful, the rally was halted by a dozen officers.
And nurses’ activist Karen Reissman then told the 40-strong crowd: “Unfortunately the police have told us we can’t proceed with this despite what’s going on in the health service.
“This isn’t about safety. This is about the Government trying to stamp down on protest, which is a dying shame. The health service will lose out.’’ A weekend opinion poll showed up to 72% of the population think the pay rise is too low.
But yesterday PM Boris Johnson hinted at a U-turn by pointing to a later review as he was carpeted on a visit to an NHS vaccine centre in north London. Asked if he could look nurses in the eye after this, he said: “The independent pay review body will obviously look at what we’ve proposed and come back.”