PROTESTERS gathered outside Bournemouth Town Hall building to express their concerns about the second lockdown.

More than 30 people attended the gathering, organised by Stand-Up South Somerset and Dorset which defines itself as “a community of struggle against the New Normal”.

Protesters assembled at the cenotaph in Bournemouth’s Central Gardens at 1pm on Saturday November 7 before crossing Bourne Avenue to assemble outside of the BCP Council building.

One protester said: “Most of the people here are just fed up with how the country is being run at the moment.

“People are here because they are concerned about their livelihoods, their jobs, their family and their mental health.

“Were there evidence of people dropping dead here and there as we have been promised by the government’s lead scientists, or predicted by the government’s lead scientists, we would be more concerned.

“We haven’t had the deaths that were predicted. If something isn’t happening as you predicted, then any rational person would take a step back and reconsider what is going on.”

Bournemouth Echo:

Stand Up South Somerset and Dorset says it wants to question the mainstream narrative of the Covid-19 virus and encourage people to meet and participate in peaceful rallies.

The group is concerned about the long-lasting human and economic impacts of the lockdown, having started protesting in May during the first national lockdown.

Mike James John Stride, a member of Stand Up South Somerset and Dorset, said: “We as a group have been demonstrating against the stripping of our human rights since May of this year.

“We believe stopping vital treatment for cancer patients, stopping mental health treatment, putting do not resuscitate notices on the elderly and disabled, for a virus that over 99 per cent recover from is absolute madness.

“We are not prepared to sit back and allow this to happen under the guise of Covid.”

Bournemouth Echo:

After various individuals took to the megaphone to talk about the plights they have experienced during the lockdown, a couple began singing Covid-related songs to entertain the crowds.

Mr Stride added: “No public scrutiny has been allowed, no critical public debate allowed, information and whistleblowers have been censored or silenced. We are doing this to fight for our children's futures.

“We have hugged each other every week now for seven months, yet not one of us has become ill, don't you find that a little strange?

“We have doctors and nurses from Poole and Bournemouth Hospital who stand with us every week, we are not making this stuff up.”