Soldiers in Edinburgh threw a party this week in defiance of the coronavirus lockdown rules, and also allowed local women to 'sneak into' the barracks to join them, Edinburgh Live can reveal.
Two young women who were amongst those invited to the party at Redford Barracks on Colinton Road shared Snapchat stories and video of the event, which they subsequently deleted after an online backlash.
One of the women posted a selfie, saying: "who wants to hate me for breaking the isolation rules?" It was then shared on Twitter, with people leaving shocked comments about the party-goers "selfish" behaviour.
One person also tagged Police Scotland in the replies to the tweet. The police currently have the power to fine people for breaching lockdown rules.
An anomymous source from another regiment that is based at Redford Barracks told Edinburgh Live that the party was thrown by Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion - otherwise known as 5 SCOTS.
They said that news of the party "spread like wildfire" at the barracks, and that women entered the camp by a coded door at the back gate.
The young women who attended shared multiple pictures of the party on their Snapchat stories, including filming themselves walking around the barracks. They also tagged themselves at the location so that people watching could see where they were. Other photos show the party-goers drinking in one of the soldier's rooms.
After the images were shared on Twitter and received negative comments, one of the women who attended the party - and who joked about breaking isolation rules to do so - took to Facebook to post an explanation.
She wrote:
"Feel like I need to address the situation even though I probably shouldn't. But yes, I did go out the other night there to have a drink and yes I did put a Snapchat up which had a daft caption, was for my private story for my close pals as it was a joke, but to half the folk tweeting about me giving me it tight are the ones who preach about mental health but quick enough to jump in and call me all sorts over social media for everyone else to see.
"And what, because it's my name its somehow I'm the reason for everything and everyone is suddenly offended when I've seen plenty other people do the same as what I've done but no one ever shamed them?
"I get what I done was wrong but never would I ever thought that I wouldn't be putting folk at risk! Every single person that I was with have been in isolation for 3+ weeks so if there was gonna be something there it would have been seen by now. I wouldn't go out and do daft s*** if I knew it was gonna be a risk.
"Not that I should be explaining myself any further but I'm done with hearing it now, not repeating myself to anyone else."
"Clearly this incident shouldn’t have happened"
The Government's "Stay Home: Save Lives" campaign makes it clear that there are only three reasons that people are allowed to leave home during the coronavirus lockdown.
1. To shop for basic necessities or pick up medicine
2. To travel to work when you absolutely cannot work from home
3. To exercise once a day, alone or with members of your household.
There is a strict rule in place that people should "not meet others, even friends and family."
An Army spokesperson confirmed that they are investigating the incident and told Edinburgh Live:
‘Protecting the NHS and saving lives means staying at home, so clearly this incident shouldn’t have happened. It runs against the principles of military discipline and support to others, driving everything the Army is doing in Scotland and across the UK to give the NHS the best possible chance fighting COVID-19.
"We’ll take any appropriate action once the full facts have been examined."
