Following incidents of disorder in Edinburgh recently, police are appealing to the public to refrain from gathering in large groups.
Superintendent Mark Rennie said: “We have some fantastic parks and open spaces in the city for our residents to enjoy, and it’s been reassuring to see that the vast majority of residents are adhering to the government guidelines and working together to ‘Stay Safe, Protect Others, Save Lives’ to prevent further spread of the virus.
“Saying this, over the last week as the weather has improved, we have seen larger gatherings at the Meadows, Portobello Beach and other areas of the city. The regulations remain that people should only leave the house for very limited purposes, for example, for basic necessities, for exercise or recreation, for medical needs or travelling for work which cannot be done from home.
“We will continue to engage with the public, explain the legislation and encourage compliance, using enforcement as a last resort. However, disorder, drunkenness and antisocial behaviour won’t be tolerated and those involved face arrest and prosecution.
“Over the last two nights we have seen large crowds gather in the Meadows specifically and some isolated disturbances later in the evening. This was completely unacceptable behaviour and we are carrying out an investigation to identity those who engaged in disorder within the park.
“We are currently working with the City of Edinburgh Council to address some of the recent issues being experienced and they will be supporting us this weekend to manage parks and green spaces across the city. My advice is not to gather in groups in the Meadows and we will have a continuous presence in the area to prevent disorder and ensure the safety of residents.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
