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Cops shut down second Curry Mile street party in 5 days as hundreds defy Manchester lockdown for Afghan Independence Day
COPS shut down a second Curry Mile street party in five days as hundreds defied Manchester's lockdown rules for an Afghanistan Independence Day bash.
Revellers waved flags, set off flares and danced on car roofs during the party in Wilmslow Road, Rusholme, which has been slammed by MPs and councillors for putting lives at risk.
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It comes after Greater Manchester Police battled to shut down an illegal party on the same road , nicknamed Curry Mile for its array of South Asian restaurants, celebrating Pakistan Independence Day on Friday.
Labour's Manchester Gorton MP Afzal Khan said: "Disappointed, frustrated and angered with the appalling behaviour on Wilmslow Road last night.
"Not only is antisocial behaviour of this kind deeply disrespectful to Rusholme residents, ignoring the Covid-19 regulations puts us all at risk.
"To those who came from outside Manchester, knowing full well the Covid situation across our region, your choice to visit Rusholme last night increases the danger of spreading the virus further here and at your home.
"You should be ashamed - you have put your loved ones at risk."
Manchester has been on local lockdown since July 31 as 2.8million Mancunians have been banned from visiting each other in their house.
The area has suffered a sharp increase in coronavirus cases, ranking second in England for the fastest rise.
Rusholme councillor Ahmed Ali emphasised to his constituents that large gatherings and parties should not be taking place.
He said: "In Manchester, we are a diverse community and we have different languages, cultures and faiths.
"Ordinarily, there are about 60 or 70 celebrations of different cultures throughout the year.
"But we are not in 2018 or 2019, we are in 2020 and we are in an emergency pandemic. We cannot have people flouting the rules.
"The message to the community is to please not congregate like this and hold back on any celebrations. I plead with people to just hold back.
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"The authorities want you to celebrate your culture but you must not flout the rules."
He praised Greater Manchester Police for its "great job" in dispersing crowds "peacefully" amid the "rowdy and anti-social behaviour."
Afghan Independence Day is held annually on August 19 to mark Afghanistan regaining full independence from British influence with the signing of the Anglo-Afghan Treaty of 1919.
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