Anyone who joins illegal gatherings to protest against the lockdown at the weekend would put lives at risk, Nicola Sturgeon warned.
Flyers circulating on social media advertise “unified peaceful mass gatherings” at parks around the UK this Saturday to protest against the continued lockdown restrictions.
Some flyers refer to planned gatherings at locations in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen.
The dangerous message urges participants to “bring a picnic”, and declare: “We say no to the Coronavirus Bill, no to mandatory vaccines, no to the new normal, and no to the unlawful lockdown.”
Police have warned such gatherings would breach lockdown rules.
The First Minister was asked about the flyers during her daily coronavirus briefing on Thursday.
She said: “In terms of the so-called protests, I know there has been material circulating on social media, I’d say two things - firstly, anyone that goes to a picnic in the park right now will be breaking the law … I’ve got every confidence the police will apply and enforce the law. So you’d be breaking the law, which is one good reason not to do it.
“But the other, perhaps even more important, reason not to do it is you’ll be putting people’s lives at risk.”
She told anyone unhappy about the lockdown that “we’re all fed up with it”.
But she stressed: “We’re having to do it for the right reasons and if you do that (flout the rules), it is not an exaggeration to say you could be putting people’s lives at risk.
“Don’t be that person that knowingly puts someone’s life on the line. It’s not worth it, so please don’t do it.”
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