Nicola Sturgeon on the spot for 'losing control' of Scots as coronavirus lockdown eases
NICOLA STURGEON was put on the spot over her apparent "loss of control" over Scotland residents after the police were forced to intervene to stop the crowd from gathering at Kelvingrove Park in Glasgow.
Nicola Sturgeon grilled about ‘losing control’ as lockdown eases
Nicola Sturgeon said she could understand the desire of young people to be outside but insisted Scots must continue to abide by social distancing rules to keep the coronavirus under control. The First Minister was asked whether she had lost control over the lockdown after hundreds had to be evacuated from Kelvingrove Park in Glasgow after gathering in large groups to enjoy the sunshine. BBC Scotland reporter Catriona Renton asked Ms Sturgeon: "We saw, as you mentioned the scenes at Kelvingrove Park yesterday evening, and we saw the scenes in the Meadows in Edinburgh and Portobello.
"How do you get back control of the situation? Are people still respecting the measures or are they forgetting them?
"Do the police have to play a bigger role for you to keep control over the next couple of months?"
The First Minister thanked the police for their work and conceded she could understand the large groups who had sought to enjoy time outside in the sun after over three months of lockdown.
She said: "I think the police are doing a great job and they have sensibly, quickly dealt with what might have been a difficult situation in Kelvingrove Park last night and my thanks go to them.
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"I don’t want to stand here and lecture people. The vast majority of people have complied with these rules and they continue to comply and follow these rules.
"I’ll never be able to properly convey the depth of my gratitude to people the length and breadth of the country for their behaviour."
She continued: "And we see the benefits of that. And I do believe even those who have breached the rules have not done so deliberately.
"I understand, particularly for young people, a day like yesterday you want to get out and about, enjoy the sunshine and get some fresh air.
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"I understand that and I don’t think people are taking action deliberately because they want to harm.
"But it’s really important we all understand the risks that kind of gathering poses right now."
Ms Sturgeon's appeal comes after the latest reports showed only 0.3 percent of people tested in the past 24 hours across Scotland had contracted the coronavirus.
The SNP leader also announced that Scotland had recorded no new deaths on a weekday for the first time since March 20.
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Glasgow Police said they had been called in at Kelvingrove Park because of the large number of people inside.
Sir Harry Burns, Scotland’s former chief medical office, warned gathering as the one in Glasgow posed a serious risk of igniting a second wave of COVID-19 cases.
Sir Harry said: “If there was one person in Kelvingrove Park yesterday capable of spreading the virus then they may have spread it to three or four other people, who may go on to spread it to three or four other people.
"Before you know where you are there are 12 or 20 people who have been exposed to the virus.
"They go home, they are maybe living with parents and siblings, and, before you know where you are, you have got another outbreak that needs to be dealt with."