‘Don’t risk the virus surging’ at protests
THE First Minister has told people they shouldn’t take part in any public demonstrations this weekend as it is not safe to do so. Despite saying she may have intended to join an anti-racism protest, she urged people to follow the stay at home guidance.
The First Minister spoke as Scotland was headed for week two of the first phase of easing lockdown but she again issued her call not to risk the virus re-surging.
Protests are planned for Glasgow tomorrow following the death of George Floyd in the US.
Ms Sturgeon said: “I want to urge you to make your voices heard, we all feel very strongly about this, but I want to ask you do so safely.
“In normal times I may well have been planning to join a gathering of support this weekend but coming together in mass gatherings right now is simply not safe.
“It poses a real risk to health and pose a real risk to life.”
Instead, she said people could protest in different ways, such as online or via donations.
Police Scotland chief constable Iain Livingstone urged people not to attend mass gatherings.
He said: “Racism in all of its forms is utterly disgraceful and unacceptable.
“As with the First Minister, I also fully understand the desire of people in Scotland to make their voices heard this weekend over racial injustice. Please do this in a way that does not risk spreading coronavirus, policing in Scotland will help in this regard.”
Speaking about some behaviour from US police, he said: “I find a number of those scenes absolutely abhorrent. I don’t recognise some of the scenes we’ve seen from the United States as reflecting how the police service of Scotland conducts its business.”
Ms Sturgeon revealed the daily coronavirus statistics for Scotland.
There were 14 deaths registered, which was up from nine the previous day, taking the total to 2409, where a positive test had been recorded.
There were 23 people in intensive care, a fall of five.
There were 995 people in hospital, a fall of 26 and there were another 29 positive cases reported, taking the total since the outbreak began to 15,582. In the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board area there were 3968 cases in total since the start of the outbreak, and 311 in hospital.
The number in intensive care is now below five for the first time since lockdown.
Ms Sturgeon said: “If you are not to meet outdoors in, all likelihood, the rain, please do not meet up with people from other households at all.
“I’m not exaggerating when I say, if you do meet people from other households indoors you are putting yourself and them at risk of getting the virus, of becoming ill with it and potentially dying from it.”