UK government confirms that any gathering of more than 30 people is illegal

[StealthPolarBear]

The police are presumably going to be very busy in schools this morning.

Not if it’s on private land though, I thought?

Schools are exempt

Correctly or incorrectly that advert defines an illegal gathering in its first sentence. I'm sure schools are exempt, theyd better be. But surely they need to be clearer in their communication? I've said all the way through the guidance on what we can and can't do is absolutely shambolic.

I very much doubt it's exempt on private land.

Our school was a shambles yesterday zero social distancing because the school won't properly stagger drop off and pick up times. Those that were trying to social distance ended up standing in the road.

More to the point, good luck if you want to protest - about anything. I'm sure "gathering" has been defined as such to encompass any gathering of people they don't like the look of, though they're talking about raves as cover.

Wow that sounds draconian. Can that be right? Surely people still have a right to meet up and protest, whilst being socially distant? I thought I lived in modern Britain fgs.

Who knows. The rules change on a whim and aren't communicated clearly. Maybe the guy in charge (not Boris) needs his eyes testing again.

As ever, the answer is ‘it depends’

www.gov.uk/guidance/meeting-people-from-outside-your-household-from-4-july

No.

““It’s against the law for gatherings of more than 30 people to take place in private homes (including gardens and other outdoor spaces), or in a public outdoors space, unless planned by an organisation in compliance with COVID-19 secure guidance.” (Emphasis mine)

From Alec’s link.

So that’s where they will claim schools are exempt, and blame schools for “doing it wrong” if there are outbreaks (despite schools not having the space or resources to be COVID-19 secure).

As long as the rave is organised by an organisation in line with Covid secure guidelines, it’s okay.

Can that be right? Surely people still have a right to meet up and protest, whilst being socially distant? I thought I lived in modern Britain fgs. You do. Modern Britain involves a steady lessening of individual liberty under whatever pretext is convenient at the time.

It’s against the law for gatherings of more than 30 people to take place in private homes (including gardens and other outdoor spaces), or in a public outdoors space, unless planned by an organisation in compliance with COVID-19 secure guidance

Schools would come under "planned by an organisation".

As would the baby sensory class I'm attending next week. They've been in consultation with PHE or something to plan while making it covid secure

So I could be fined for sending my kids to school? That’s a first.

@glitterelf

Our school was a shambles yesterday zero social distancing because the school won't properly stagger drop off and pick up times. Those that were trying to social distance ended up standing in the road.

So was mine. Basically the whole school and all their parents were squashed into a tiny space. The old arrangements from March were far safer than their new ones...

It’ll spread like wildfire if that continues. And they’ll blame the parents for not socially distancing even though they have no choice.

@StealthPolarBear

Correctly or incorrectly that advert defines an illegal gathering in its first sentence. I'm sure schools are exempt, theyd better be. But surely they need to be clearer in their communication? I've said all the way through the guidance on what we can and can't do is absolutely shambolic.

It's probably a bit late in the day for them to bother about being clear in their guidance. No need to break the habit now.

So I could be fined for sending my kids to school?

Fined if you do, fined if don’t.

Cheaper if don’t.

Except if you are an MP when you can meet inside in groups of over fifty in a crowded room.
Boris thinks everyone should be “Cheek by Jowl” by Christmas so a touch of hypocrisy to say the least. This is about making lawful protest unlawful; suppression of the masses and propaganda for control not protection.

We are on the road to fascism and already this government is showing many of the early warning signs.

1. Powerful and continuing nationalism
2. Disdain for human rights
3. Identification of enemies as a unifying cause
4. Rampant sexism
5. Controlled mass media
6. Obsession with national security
7. Religion and government intertwined
8. Corporate power protected
9. Labor power suppressed

10. Disdain for intellectual and the arts 11. Obsession with crime and punishment 12. Rampant cronyism and corruption

@noblegiraffe

Very good points made.
I'm absolutely sick of the "do what we say... unless what we say makes little sense or contradicts something else we say, in which case do what you think we probably mean and hope you're right" type messages.

It’s against the law for gatherings of more than 30 people to take place in private homes (including gardens and other outdoor spaces), or in a public outdoors space, unless planned by an organisation in compliance with COVID-19 secure guidance.”

That all seems pretty clear to me, and the last sentence shows that schools are clearly exempt. And it’s perfectly possible to protest whilst complying with Covid-19 secure guidance. I recall seeing the BLM protests in the Netherlands... outside and well socially distanced (at least the one that i saw photographed).

"gatherings of more than 30 people are illegal"
That is literally the first sentence.

My DDs school were told that they wouldnt be allowed indoors or in the canteen at lunch, and that they would need to stay outside in allocated zones to eat lunch whatever the weather. The first day back it pissed with rain, the HT told them all to cram into the canteen ...to tell them offer not bringing coats!