A large group of people flouted the lockdown rules today by gathering to play music and dance in Leicester park.
Video sent to LeicestershireLive shows a crowd of some 30 people or so dancing around a snow-laden Spinney Hill Park in Leicester to the sound of drums and pipes while not wearing masks or socially-distancing.
Some of the footage, taken between 3.30pm and 4pm appears to show groups of youngsters launching snowballs at the dancers as they perform a routine.
One resident said they were shocked at what unfolded in the park where there were also large numbers of families enjoying the wintery conditions but while sticking to the lockdown rules that allow for exercise
She said: “There is a lot of anger about what happened given. No masks or face covering, no social-distancing at all, no sense.
“The snow has frozen some brains – if those people have any.
“There’s a police station right by the park but that didn’t stop them.”
She said the police were called to as the scenes unfolded this afternoon.
A Leicestershire Police spokeswoman confirmed officers attended the scene to disperse the crowd who left within minutes.
She said: “Police received a call just before 3.45pm this afternoon (Sunday 24 January) reporting a gathering of people in Spinney Hill Park, Leicester.
“A local officer spoke to the group and advised them they were in breach of Covid-19 regulations and advised them to disperse immediately. Within minutes of the officer arriving the group separated and left the area.
“No fines were issued.”
Public health bosses in Leicester have repeatedly urged people in the city to stay at home to try to stop transmission of coronavirus.
The seven-day rate of infection in the city is 564.3 cases per 100,000 – well above the national average of 437.8 cases per 100,000.
The city’s director of public health recently warned that Leicester’s hospitals were at risk of being overwhelmed by the number of Covid-19 patients being cared for on their wards.
North West Leicestershire MP Andrew Bridgen said he had been in touch with chief constable Simon Cole about the incident.
He said: “What chance do we have of controlling the pandemic when this happens.
“No wonder Leicester has been in lockdown since March.”
