Police in Manchester “Extremely Stretched”
Officers getting surge of calls of large gatherings
Police officers in Greater Manchester continue to have their hands full in spite of the lockdown measures in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
On Saturday officers were called in to break up a party in Gorton, just a day after they had to break up a large gathering in Wilmslow Road, Rusholme.
It’s estimated that on Friday officers received between 930-999 calls of large gatherings.
Local police and politicians expressed their dismay towards people breaking the safety measure. Deputy Chief Constable Ian Pilling called the weekend’s events “outrageous”.
Meanwhile the MP for Gorton Afzal Khan took to twitter to express his frustration saying he was “angered” after the “appalling behaviour” on display by some who were celebrating Pakistan Independence Day on Friday in Rushmore’s Curry Mile.
Yesterday Pilling said a “significant number of GMP officers… were extremely stretched again yesterday with unprecedented demand” and had to be supported by officers from North Wales and Cheshire.
Officers received about 2,459 calls to 999 on Friday, compared to 1,590 on the same day last year.
In desperation to try and get the message across to people in the community, police did issue the following tweet:
“We are pleading with the public to help reduce demand after an unprecedented surge in 999 calls. Remember – these emergency lines must be prioritized for those who need them most.” @MayorofGM @AndyBurnhamGM
@pritipatel @ukhomeoffice @kitmalthouse pic.twitter.com/eow8RABGKs
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) August 15, 2020
The new restrictions in Greater Manchester were imposed on August 6 and stated people from different households couldn’t meet in homes or private gardens.
It also urged members of two different households not to mix in pubs or restaurants, though individual households can still visit those venues. (JSL)
