Life and Light Christian Mission Church Festival For Travellers Rutland County Showground Oakham Rutland Leicestershire Police have arrested people in Oakham
Alicia Kearns MP for Rutland Says:
I’m deeply saddened and frankly disgusted by the criminal behaviour reported around Oakham and Barleythorpe over the last 24 hours.
I’ve spent yesterday evening and this morning speaking to the Showground, Police, RCC and our Police and Crime Commissioner to make our concerns known. We are working together to support and protect residents.
I’ve requested a significant increase in police presence. I’ve also asked what measures are in place if we see continued breaches of COVID restrictions from attendees of the event.
The Police increased their presence yesterday evening, and today an increased police presence from Leicestershire will be supporting residents and visiting businesses to understand what they witnessed or experienced yesterday and concerns they have so that policing can meet those needs.
If you witness a crime, it is very important that you please report it using 101, or 999 if an emergency. An event like this can only be closed down if it breaches COVID regulations consistently or if continued criminality takes place.
Report breaches of COVID regulations here: https://www.police.uk/.../tell-us-about-a-possible.../...
COVID rules allow the holding of outdoor events of 4,000 people or 50% capacity of the Showground to currently go ahead. However, the criminality by a minority of attendees that has taken place in our community around the event is unacceptable. And I understand fully why residents are angry that other events have been cancelled.
I don’t want to see our hard work to protect our communities from COVID-19 in any way put at risk, and it is unacceptable for our wonderful and welcoming community to face criminality as has been seen on videos and reported to police.
I want to see an immediate end to the intimidation and criminality too many residents have witnessed, and I will continue to keep the pressure on to achieve this however I can.