Liverpool faces criticism for pre-lockdown crowds

Students and young people of Liverpool City are facing criticism after images and videos appeared online of large swathes of people congregating in Concert Square, the night before the city was due to go into another lock-down, as cases of COVID-19 increase dramatically in the region.

Liverpool’s mayor, Joe Anderson, tweeted in response to a Liverpool Echo article: “these pictures shame our city”.

He added: “attacking our brave police officers is unacceptable” after reports emerged that plastic cups had been thrown at police cars that were trying to disperse the crowds.

These events come after the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson announced on Monday that Liverpool City would be one of the regions of the UK to be placed into Tier 3 lock-down, the highest level. This grouping prohibits Liverpool residents from meeting anyone outside of their household in any indoor settings or private gardens, with pubs and bars closing, unless they serve food.

It is reported that people began to group in Concert Square when pubs and bars began to close, and events escalated from there.

The Tab spoke to students from the University of Liverpool and asked for their reactions to what has happened.

Marcus Phillips, a second-year Archaeology and Anthropology student said: “I understand that people are tired of lockdown, but going out the night before new government guidelines are introduced seems like a bit of a shortsighted response.”

He added that the videos on social media were “quite sickening”.

Another second-year Evolutionary Anthropology student Ella Filskow, told The Tab that those seen in Concert Square were: “Giving students a bad name.”

She went on: “It’s no wonder the government are blaming us for a second wave.”

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