Police are forced to close Curry Mile AGAIN as hundreds ignore local lockdown in Manchester to attend mass celebration of Afghan Independence Day
- Hundreds spilled onto one of city’s busiest streets where they parted last night
- The Wilmslow Road revellers have been scolded by both their councillor and MP
- Manchester has a local lockdown limiting outdoor gatherings to six people
Police were last night forced to close Manchester’s Curry Mile for the second time this week as crowds defied the local lockdown to celebrate Afghan Independence Day.
Hundreds spilled onto one of the city’s busiest streets where they waved flags, set of flares and even danced on car roofs.
The revellers have been scolded by both their councillor and MP who said: ‘You should be ashamed – you have put your loved ones at risk.’
Wilmslow Road in Rusholme, known as Curry Mile for its array of South Asian cuisine restaurants, was shut only last week amid similar scenes for Pakistan Independence Day.
Greater Manchester Police shut a stretch of the road between Dickenson Road and Moss Lane East while they dispersed the party-goers.
After a spike in the infection rate, Greater Manchester was slapped back into a local lockdown, limiting outdoor gatherings to six people who must socially distance.
Hundreds spilled onto one of the city’s busiest streets where they waved flags, set of flares and even danced on car roofs
Greater Manchester Police shut a stretch of the road between Dickenson Road and Moss Lane East while they dispersed the party-goers
Yesterday’s brazen breach of restrictions were slammed by the Labour MP for Manchester Gorton, Afzal Khan, who underscored the risks.
He said: ‘Disappointed, frustrated and angered with the appalling behaviour on Wilmslow Road last night.
‘Not only is antisocial behaviour of this kind deeply disrespectful to Rusholme residents, ignoring the Covid-19 regulations puts us all at risk.
‘To those who came from outside Manchester, knowing full well the Covid situation across our region, your choice to visit Rusholme last night increases the danger of spreading the virus further here and at your home.
‘You should be ashamed – you have put your loved ones at risk.’
He was backed up by Rusholme councillor Ahmed Ali who begged people to obey the rules.
Wilmslow Road in Rusholme, known as Curry Mile for its array of South Asian cuisine restaurants, was shut only last Friday amid similar scenes for Pakistan Independence Day (pictured)
How weekly infection rates have changed in Greater Manchester over time. The figures show how many new cases were diagnosed for every 100,000 people every week up until August 14
He said: ‘We don’t mind people having celebrations but under the pandemic emergency regulations, we are not supposed to congregate in such ways or have parties and things like that.
‘In Manchester, we are a diverse community and we have different languages, cultures and faiths.
‘Ordinarily, there are about 60 or 70 celebrations of different cultures throughout the year.
‘But we are not in 2018 or 2019, we are in 2020 and we are in an emergency pandemic. We cannot have people flouting the rules.
‘The message to the community is to please not congregate like this and hold back on any celebrations. I plead with people to just hold back.
‘The authorities want you to celebrate your culture but you must not flout the rules.
‘GMP has done a great job in dispersing the crowds peacefully where many were displaying rowdy and anti-social behaviour potentially endangering other visitors in Rusholme.’
Afghan Independence Day is held annually on August 19 to mark Afghanistan regaining full independence from British influence with the signing of the Anglo-Afghan Treaty of 1919.