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Anti-Lockdown Campaigners Plan Illegal 'Great Reopening' Of Shops From Tomorrow

Anti-Lockdown Campaigners Plan Illegal 'Great Reopening' Of Shops From Tomorrow

They're backed by Piers Corbyn and David Icke but police are threatening 'ultimate action' against those breaking the rules

Rebecca Shepherd

Rebecca Shepherd

Anti-lockdown campaigners and covid conspiracy theorists are hoping for the 'Great Reopening' tomorrow (30 January).

They are hoping to rally support in an attempt to get businesses back up and running amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in the UK.

Despite the plans to reopen companies tomorrow, police have said that they 'would not hesitate' but to issue £10,000 fines to any firms flouting the strict rules that are currently in place.

The campaigners are being supported by well-known conspiracy theorists such as Piers Corbyn and David Icke who have both been publicising the 'Great Reopening'.

Some members of the group are said to be ringing up local businesses and telling them they won't be issued fines for breaking lockdown because of 'common law' but this is a myth.

The post on David Icke's website.
David Icke

In a statement to Cornwall Live, a spokesperson for the National Police Chiefs' Council said: "We are at the most dangerous stage of this pandemic and each of us has a personal responsibility to do everything we can to stop the spread of coronavirus.

"We will not hesitate to issue fines to those deliberately breaching the regulations with no regard for the safety of others."

Higher up (geographically) in the country, Richard Webb, North Yorkshire County Council's corporate director for health and adult services, added: "Yesterday we were made aware of a campaign doing the rounds across the north of England which urges businesses to have what they called a 'great reopening' tomorrow.

"My plea to all businesses is to ignore this campaign. There will be no great reopening on January 30. I would ask that you continue to act as you have been doing throughout this lockdown and before that and that we fight together this deadly virus.

"My warning to those who choose to take part in this campaign is that the enforcement authorities, police, trading standards, environmental health and others will have no choice but to take ultimate action against you."

This salon is planning to reopen.
SWNS

One person planning to reopen for the occasion is salon owner Sinead Quinn who owns Quinn Blakey Hairdressing, in Bradford, West Yorks.

She has already racked up £17,000 in fines by staying open during last year's second national lockdown has indicated she plans to reopen tomorrow.

A comment from the salon on Instagram said: "We're all opening regardless of lockdown. They can't control us all when we stand up to them."

In a separate post, she wrote the caption: "When is lockdown meant to end? Feb? In February you can bet your life savings that Covid-21 will be here and so will your lockdown.

"I'd like you to sit back and watch it all play out but we're running out of time. Stand up for your freedoms. 30th January. Get up and open your businesses, go out and support those businesses. We are the power, not them."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: UK News, News, UK