Greater Manchester Police has explained why officers did not intervene when hundreds of England fans took part in an impromptu rave in the city centre.
Despite Covid-19 restrictions still being in place, when a party erupted in the middle of the Northern Quarter after the team romped home to a 4-0 victory over Ukraine, no action appeared to be taken by police to stop it.
After the Three Lions captain Harry Kane helped propel England to its first Euro semi-final for 25 years with two goals, revellers spilled out into the street on Stevenson Square.
Video footage shows hundreds of people tightly packed together dancing, as music is blasted from a sound system
Onlookers described the madness as a 'full on rave.'
The trigger appears to have been two lads with a sound system making their way through the area playing the 1996 anthem 'Three Lions' (Football's Coming Home) by David Baddiel, Frank Skinner, and The Lightning Seeds.
Hundreds of fans soon joined in.
Young people could be seen dancing and hugging each other as they sing along to the music.
Similar scenes were replicated at a fan park at Event City, as fans went wild as England scored four goals in a knock-out stage of a major competition for the first time since they won the World Cup in 1966 with a 4-2 victory over West Germany.
Supporters could be seen climbing on tables and throwing pints in the air as England's win lined them up for a semi-final against Denmark on Wednesday.
In March GMP dished out a £10,000 fine to an NHS worker who organised a protest in the city centre over the government's one per cent pay offer.
Karen Reissmann, a mental health worker and Unison rep, was among those who turned up for the demonstration in St Peter's Square.
All those attending wore masks and cones were marked out on the floor to help maintain social distancing.
But before the protest could go ahead, Karen, aged 61, was spoken to by officers from Greater Manchester Police who said it was illegal under current coronavirus restrictions.
In November the organiser of an anti-lockdown protest in Piccadilly Gardens was also handed a £10,000 fine after police were forced to disperse crowds, with the then Chief Constable, Ian Hopkins, describing the rally as "utterly ridiculous".
But police adopted a softly softly approach on Saturday with England fans.
In a statement GMP said: "Police were aware of and closely monitoring a gathering in Stevenson Square on Saturday evening (3 July 2021).
"GMP's main priority is always ensuring those present are kept safe.
"We will always aim to engage and explain the Covid legislation to those present and encourage groups to safely and calmly disperse.
"Positive action will be taken as a last resort and only if safe to do so.
"On this occasion officers respectfully engaged with those present and the group did subsequently disperse without issue."
The force's stance remains "explain and engage and encourage dispersal" despite a potential easing of Covid-19 restrictions from July 19.
But there is a level of flexibility as officers will monitor a situation and review "if it is safe, and necessary to intervene".
Police say they have to strike a balance between enforcing Covid legislation and police actions not causing any additional public disorder.
The scenes in Stevenson Square angered some Manchester Evening News readers.
One commented on Facebook: "I see social distancing, mask wearing & ALL Covid rules still in place were all disobeyed all for the sake of an England win.
"Yes I'm elated England won & that we are through to the semis & I'm daring to dream we re going through to the final.
"It doesn't alter the fact that YET AGAIN the younger generation are disobeying Covid rules & where are the bloody police NOWHERE !!!"
But another reader commented: "I've not been a fan of people breaking lockdown rules and not socially distancing, but we're coming out of it now and this footie win is what everyone has been waiting for and I couldn't help but smile when I saw these pic I'm not a football fan but I kinda wish I had been there last night and was part of that atmosphere."
