Police chief urges Edinburgh public to 'keep discipline' and avoid mass gatherings as 'critical phase' of lockdown easing set to start

Edinburgh's police chief has urged the public to "keep their discipline" and avoid mass gatherings during the first phase of lockdown easing in Scotland.

On Thursday, Nicola Sturgeon is expected to announce a slight relaxing of the rules aimed at restarting society while continuing to suppress the virus.

The first phase of the Scottish Government's plan will allow people to meet outside with those from another household in "small numbers," including in private gardens.

Chief Superintendent Sean Scott, Divisional Commander for Edinburgh, has urged the public to keep their discipline during the first phase of lockdown.

Temperatures of up to 20C are expected in the Capital at the weekend which could also mean more people going outside to sunbathe in parks, or travelling short distances for outdoor leisure.

Speaking to the Edinburgh Evening News, Chief Superintendent Sean Scott, Divisional Commander for the city, said that depending on how the restrictions are eased, extra resources would be available to ensure people in the city are kept safe.

He said: "The easing of restrictions, to a degree, means there will be more people out but this will be okay so long as people are social distancing and people stay two metres apart in public areas and beauty spots - but where there are gatherings and people clearly not social distancing, we will encourage them to comply.

“Mass gatherings are still banned.”

Chief Sup Scott stressed that officers will always seek to engage, explain and encourage before enforcing with fixed penalty fines or arrests.

He says the Edinburgh public have, overall, been "brilliant" so far and that those who fail to comply tend to be people who would break the rules anyway.

Chief Sup Scott said "This is the critical phase coming up as well and my main message to the public is to keep their discipline and keep that downward trajectory in cases."

Data released on Wednesday by the National Records of Scotland (NRS) revealed that the number of Covid-19 linked deaths in Scotland has fallen for a fourth successive week.

NRS figures showed there were 230 such deaths in the week ending Sunday, May 24th, which was 105 fewer than the previous week.

It brings the total number of suspected or confirmed virus deaths since the outbreak began to 3,779.