Celebration ‘rewarded fans who ignored safety advice’

COUNCILLOR CRITICISES LEEDS UTD

A DEWSBURY councillor has criticised Leeds United and Leeds City Council for ‘rewarding’ fans who flouted advice about avoiding mass gatherings.

On the day new rules about face masks begin, Clr Aleks Lukic of the Dewsbury Borough Independents has urged residents to follow the guidance.

And despite being a self confessed Leeds United fan he has expressed his frustration at the antics at Elland

Road since the club won promotion to the Premier League.

Writing on his professional Facebook page, the former UKIP candidate, said: “I want to sincerely encourage people to follow the rules and guidance to help control the spread of the virus, as we have been experiencing a relatively high local infection rate.

“Therefore, I have to make clear as a Leeds United fan that I am profoundly concerned by the open-top bus celebration outside Elland Road, which in my view has seriously undermined the effort against a live pandemic.

“News spread quickly on social media about the bus being at the ground, which could only have encouraged more people to go along for a chance to see the team.

“The event, while supposedly to help disperse any crowds, effectively gave a special reward for ignoring the official instructions from Leeds United and Leeds City Council to stay at home.

“I represent many Leeds fans in Dewsbury East and we are rightly proud of our side’s promotion to the Premier League.

“But I think most of us are disappointed by the club and council’s actions, and I hope that anything related to professional football will go back behind closed doors until it is safe for fans to return.

“We have seen numerous mass gatherings across the country since we first went into lockdown.

“Little significant action has been taken against those putting lives at risk, which meant it became inevitable that more individuals would ignore the social distancing guidance we need to be following in everyday life.

“Despite Wednesday’s event and the other mass gatherings we have seen, I urge everyone to please stay vigilant against this highly contagious virus. Let’s keep helping to protect each other and clinically vulnerable people in our town.”

Yesterday, Leeds United and Leeds City Council defended their actions, saying the plan to parade players and the Championship trophy on the bus following Wednesday’s final fixture, was designed to disperse the crowds.