‘We have to get our entertainment from somewhere’ — an Isle of Wight councillor has joked about anti-lockdown protesters who met up at the weekend to protest lockdown restrictions, breaking the law in the process.
On Saturday, a number of people gathered in Church Litten Park in Newport to protest against the start of the second lockdown.
Police were called to the protest and those involved, once identified, could face fines for breaking the restrictions.
Speaking about the protest, Councillor Stuart Hutchinson, the council’s cabinet member for the COVID-19 recovery, said he feels for any government, no matter what the political complexion, that has to deal with conspiracy theorists saying the virus is a myth. He said:
“We live in a free society and there are always a few people that say the virus is a hoax, you shouldn’t be locking us down like this. We have seen this across Europe.
“You are trying to find the balance between keeping people safe and not allowing your health services to be overwhelmed yet still where you can allow folks to go about their business in a day-to-day fashion.
“There will always be people waving placards and banners around — we have got to get our entertainment from somewhere.”
The Island’s director for public health, Simon Bryant, said it is really important to maintain the ‘brilliant’ job the Isle of Wight has already done by following the guidance and maintaining social distancing, hand hygiene and mask wearing where required.
While in lockdown, until 2nd December, the latest restrictions mean you can meet only 1 other person outside your household in an outdoors public space.
how many fines were issued?
peeps has rights to demonstrate man. Fine is wrong no one is to pay
Push for a higher court and it will be thrown out! Remember fines( lies) about social distance.9000 fines none paid. Wasn’t law!
Pot calling the kettle black.
Vote this council OUT. They mock us all with their greedy policies of building over everything they can.
Whilst I see that protesters should abide by the law, even idiots, as proven by IWCC over the white Elephant, have a right to a say, unless it is over those who dare not be criticised now, bruv.
Bruv!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, what’s this the 1970’s, where’s Bodie and Doyle, or Starsky and Hutch. I might have seen a Ford Capri flying around the corner at Church Litten, followed by a Gran Torino, red with a white stripe.
K9, If you read with a little more depth, then it will be clear that apples reference by using the word bruv, is suggesting that those who are most likely to use that term, are the very people now, due to PC to be those that society dare no longer criticise.
And IF honest, few with intelligence could argue with that.
and here i thought i was a sociopathic, degenerate c*nt. I mean I genuinely am, but still
This is the same council who have stated that we have a climate change emergency – but then go and concrete over every square cm of green space? Utter brain-dead.
Vote them out.
The thing is you can’t just vote them out you have to vote for a replacement by someone equally bad. The system should be changed so the ballot paper includes the option of abolishing the position entirely
Tory Spaffer, whilst it is true that it is likely that any new council will have some similar ‘types’ to those removed, to simply allow the ‘old existing council’ to remain, unopposed, creates even more issues.
For they, if left in power, then assume they are doing the right thing, by the fact they have not been voted out. Then, as in any dictatorships, humans in such positions feel ever more vindicated in doing wrong, and so it becomes rapidly ever worse.
Whereas a new, equally suspect council would be wary at first, not having the ties with developers, land owners, suspect businesses and contacts, and not ‘knowing’ who they could trust to be untrustworthy. So, for a while at least, they are more careful, more guarded in anything immoral or illegal that they do.
Same as IF you were are a dishonest worker, IF you had a new job, it would take time to find means and ways of swindling, or discovering contacts who YOU could trust to keep quiet, and those who would ‘blow the whistle’ on your immoral, or illegal activites.
Whilst not accusing any of such, I leave the public to use their own intelligence to ‘go figure’ what goes on in such places where millions of pounds of public money are entrusted to a group of tight knit people. Where the mere singing of a piece of paper creates or stops ‘life changing’ sums of cash.
So, I agree with others, VOTE THEM OUT
There’s a hell of a lot of green over here in Wroxall and none of its been concreted over. More fake news….
Much of that ‘green’ in tents in lofts. Fresh produce is ‘high’ on the shopping list of the health conscious in such places. All love fresh tomatoes, lettuce etc. and to grow your own, saves money, and makes such if selling to other locals.
Oh, it will be sir, and you know it! I think you may even have information on some of the forthcoming plans… Reverse playground psychology, mate! ‘Caulkhead knows more than I do, Caulkhead knows more than I do…’ Fact.
Who’d want to live in Wroxall!
typical councillor – thinks the little people are nothing but drudge, bourgeois or tree hugging hippies, that are nothing more than a number.
I don’t know if I can vote for Stuart…..but if I can..I will…
The IWCC mocks everyone on this island by its arrogance, duplicity, and greed… £1,500 bung given to them recently, so that three large trees (with a protection order on them) could be hacked about and felled by the ‘gardener’ of a homeowner in Ventnor! So I was told today. Disgrace… A bunch of hippies being tits on Church Litten is the least of our worries with crooks like we have in charge!
Has the general IQ of this country plummeted in the last year? It’s not a case of peoples’ right to protest. This is a virus that passes from person to person. Jeez…it’s no wonder cases are soaring….
No, it’s always been down there with a plank of wood!
It is very much about people’s rights to protest! Taking away every human right one at a time until you’re wondering why you can’t do anything even though you were one who “followed the rules” do some research see what bills they have passed in the last 4-6 months and see what rights of yours are being taken away right under your nose! There may be a virus but a 99.9% survival rate should cause no one to panic! God wake up will you!
I don’t have an opinion about people’s rights but I do have one about the general level of intelligence displayed by the populace in general, the part of Tim’s comment that I was replying to. Saw that plank in half and tell me what you get.
Oh do stop spouting about taking away our human rights shit. This is opening up a completely new can of worms!!!!! People and crowds mean: COVID thrives and spreads. It’s really not rocket science. If they open the pubs up again before Christmas, watch the number of infections dramatically increase again. My point is, where there are crowds of people in close proximity to each other, the virus will spread. Hence the need to ban marches and public protests…..good thing too
So does the influenza colds that have no cure
Influenza kills a lot of people all over the world.
Influenza kills (or contributes to killing) between 300k-650k people worldwide a year. Covid-19 has killed (or has contributed to killing) over 1.3m people worldwide in 10-months with no jab available until next year, hence the need for caution. Everyone of course has a right to protest but there are many other ways to do so other than through a physical gathered group. If you’re going down that route at least wear a mask and try to socially distance.
Perhaps Trump supporters came over. They don’t seem to worry about social distancing or rallying for a worthwhile cause!!!!!!!
You might have thought the Local Democracy Reporter might be in favour of preserving human rights.
nope, they’re a reporter, not the same as a supporter
WTF
I not a fan of the mafia we call the island council.
I don’t like not being able to do my job , but I understand why.
There is a bigger picture that unfortunately some people can’t or don’t want to see.
Maybe these people who want to protest should go and see the 49 families on the island. Then tell me you are willing to put your family through the hurt and pain they are going through.
I for one won’t risk putting my family through that , it’s hard enough when you lose someone. But it would be hell if you thought you had in someway contributed to there death.
Take care out there folks .
They’re not conspiracy theorists. They just don’t agree with lockdown.
Usual idiots in local government making up stories to suit their mandate.
We’re entitled to disagree with anyone. It’s called democracy
THOSE WHO WOULD GIVE UP ESSENTIAL LIBERTY, TO PURCHASE A LITTLE TEMPORARY SAFETY, DESERVE NEITHER!!
said Benjamin Franklin c January 1775
I was going to say name and shame the councillor but no need it’s easy just say IWCC as they mock everyone
What would have happened if it was Dominic Cummings!
council still needs to grow a pair, dont mock them, prosecute them. Take your responsibility seriously and protect the law abiding island residents.
Well said Steve……..fine the buggers.
“could face fines”. They broke the law so fine the irresponsible bast*rds. Who do they think was listening anyway? Stupid idiots.
So 12 inbreds with a couple of badly spelt placards constitutes a demonstration now does it? Lol!