Piccadilly Gardens anti-lockdown protest organiser set to contest £10,000 fine

The organiser of the Piccadilly Gardens anti-lockdown protest has said he will contest the £10,000 fine police handed him.

Fitness trainer and ‘ex-military veteran’ from Trafford, Paul Boys who organised the protest insists it was not illegal.

The ‘Rise Up Manchester’ rally was attended by as many as 600 people in Manchester Piccadilly Gardens on Sunday afternoon.

GMP fined the 40-year-old man £10,000. 25 £200 fixed penalty notices were also handed out. 

Speaking to the MEN, he claimed he had been given the go-ahead by a police liaison office, filled out risk assessment forms and that the event was ‘legitimate’ and not illegal.

In a Facebook post, he wrote: “Images in the press of heavy police presence and reports of fines, arrests and injured officers all took place after the event had finished and organisers had left, and therefore we do not accept any responsibility for this incidences.”

Under the latest lockdown legislation, no more than two people can meet at a time. 

Assistant Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, Mabs Hussain, said: “Ahead of Sunday, officers attempted to engage with the person organising this gathering – warning him of the likely consequences and advising, for his and everyone else’s sake, to abandon his plans.

“However, he decided to ignore this advice and pressed ahead with a reckless and completely irresponsible course of action. He has been left with a significant financial penalty as a result.”

In a YouTube video, Mr Boys said the event was ‘arranged to be a Remembrance parade as well’.

He added that they were told by police the ‘state of the art sound system’ would be seized and £10,000 fines issued. 

He then said they ‘adapted’ and used a megaphone to speak from different sites in Manchester instead.

He added: “I said to the police, anything that happens – arrested [sic], fines – I will accept responsibility as organiser,”

“I told the police I would tell everyone that’s turned up… that the rally has been cancelled… therefore it’s over and people can do as they wish.

“I expressed to everybody that I am going for a walk, which is within my legal rights, to be able to go for a walk, on my own.

“If anyone decides to follow me, that’s their own decision. So we went for a walk.

“I was then given a megaphone, which is also within my rights as an individual, who is not part of any group or part of any organised rally. I just decided to go for a walk and speak at different sites.”

Mr Boys explained that people ‘turned up in their own bubbles’ and that he asked them to ‘adhere to social distancing rules’.

He went onto explain that the arrests were made at ‘small gatherings’ which were not affiliated with him.

ACC Hussain said: “Work is ongoing to identify others who were in attendance at the gathering and blatantly breaching Government restrictions.

“Gatherings such as this increase demand on our officers, who are already working tirelessly in difficult circumstances to help protect our communities.

“Government restrictions on social distancing are in place to control the spread of Covid-19.

“We recognise that these are difficult times, but I would implore everyone to think of their loved ones and do your bit to fight the virus, as well as protecting our NHS, by complying with current restrictions during lockdown.”