The organisers of a Black Lives Matter protest in Cleethorpes say online abuse and threats targeted at the group has made them “all the more determined to march and highlight the problem”.
According to the Grimsby Telegraph, a rival group is planning to attend. The organiser of an alternative protest has reportedly encouraged friends to gather at the leisure centre at 12pm on the same date.
There will be a community policing presence during the Black Lives Matter Lincolnshire protest. However, the second protest has yet to be officially confirmed.
The two events have prompted some concerns about safety issues and possible trouble.
Determined to march on
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Black Lives Matter Lincolnshire was made aware of these messages by one of its supporters.
Brian Milne, founder of Black Lives Matter Lincolnshire, told Lincolnshire Reporter that the group has been made aware of messages containing nasty and racist comments aimed at the group.
He claimed there have also been general threats going round on Facebook aimed at residents of Cleethorpes and Grimsby. He has already reported some messages to Humberside Police, who he recently met with about their potential presence at his group’s protest.
Brian said: “We have been told in messages to the Black Lives Matter Lincolnshire page that we are not welcome in Cleethorpes.
“The more people that say this the more I realise there is a problem in the area. This makes us more determined to march and highlight the problem.”
Brian added that the hate spreading on social media has caused a few of the protest’s speakers to back out, but he is still expecting good numbers to attend and is happy to have the support of fellow protestors and local war veterans.
‘Opposing fascism, racism and bigotry’
Black Lives Matter Lincolnshire also re-iterated its stance on social media on Thursday, saying: “We would like to emphasise in response to the news that people are trying to organise a counter protest against us that no part of Saturday’s demonstration is about destroying statues/monuments.
“It would in fact be completely opposed to the entire point of our march, which like the motives of the RAF and other armed forces in World War Two as commemorated by this (war) memorial, is about opposing fascism, racism and bigotry.”
Police presence
Chris Noble, Assistant Chief Constable at Humberside Police, said: “As with the previous event in Hull, we have been working closely with the organisers to make sure it’s a safe environment for everyone.
“At this current time Coronavirus remains a deadly disease and there are still restrictions in place to prevent its spread, which include not gathering outside in groups of more than six people.
“That being said, we recognise the rights of people to express their feelings and we ask that people work with officers at this challenging time. We continue to work with our communities to engage, explain and encourage them to keep them safe and would remind people to observe social distancing to prevent any risk to themselves or others.”
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The 32-year-old man and 30-year-old woman arrested in the murder probe of an 11-year-old boy in Lincoln have both been released on police bail, without any charges.
The man was arrested on suspicion of murder and the woman on suspicion of manslaughter after an incident at a house on Geneva Street on St Giles in Lincoln.
Police were called to the house at 10pm on Friday night, January 22.
The 11-year-old boy was found unwell at the scene and was taken to hospital for treatment.
He was pronounced dead a short time later.
At the time Lincolnshire Police said the death was unexplained and it was treated as murder.
The man and the woman arrested at the weekend were released on police bail on Monday evening.
Lincolnshire Police said in a statement on Monday night:
“Once again, we’d like to remind people that this is an active investigation and that an 11-year-old boy has sadly lost his life.
“Speculative comments are not only deeply upsetting to those involved but can potentially undermine our investigation.
“If you have any information that can help, call 101 or email [email protected] quoting incident 472 of January 22.”
Ten people from Boston have been given fines for breaching COVID-19 regulations by driving dangerously in supermarket car parks.
Officers were called after three separate reports of dangerous driving in the car parks of Lidl and Tesco in Wyberton Fen, as well as on Marsh Lane Industrial Estate in Boston.
All three incidents took place and were reported to police between 5pm and 6pm on Sunday, January 24, though it is unsure if they were connected at all.
When officers arrived, the drivers were seen doing donut manoeuvres and racing in the snow.
A total of 10 people were given £200 fines for breaking lockdown guidelines, but this will be reduced to £100 if paid within 14 days, due to all being first time offenders.
As well as the COVID-19 fines, two of the vehicles were also seized as a result of being uninsured, with drivers reported.
A traffic offence report was also submitted after one driver was seen to be driving not just dangerously but out of control.
Inspector Fran Harrod of Lincolnshire Police said: “We would like to thank the public for bringing these incidents of dangerous driving to our attention.
“This is not only extremely dangerous to those taking part but to others in these areas.
“While we continue to engage and explain with the public, this was a blatant breach of the restrictions which will not be tolerated.”
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