Planning is taking place for a mass protest against the lockdown in Southampton

There has been a spate of flyers being delivered and posted across Hampshire as plans grow for a mass protest on Southampton Common on Saturday. Local residents are furious at the plans for the gathering that’s taking place during the UK lockdown.

On Sunday evening, PM Boris Johnson made a confusing announcement that has been heavily criticised by all parties and media outlets. One of the changes announced during the pre-recorded speech was that outside exercise time is now unlimited. However, social distancing measures are still in place.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Cummings later went on to say that businesses such as hairdressers, pubs and restaurants would not be able to reopen until stage three of the three-phase plan, which could be July at the earliest.

The flyers being seen across Hampshire are calling for people in the area to “say no to the coronavirus bill,” and are calling the lockdown “unlawful.”

However, local residents in Southampton are afraid that any mass gathering will only lead to an inevitable second peak in coronavirus cases. Speaking to the local press, one resident, who did not wish to be named, said, “Just look at Germany. They eased their lockdown on Wednesday. This weekend they had a rise in cases. Enough said. Stay safe people.”

Other locals have encouraged the ‘covidiots’ to gather in large groups, calling it Darwinism. Many have said that anyone that attends any kind of mass protest against the lockdown should be refused NHS treatment.

Two events have been planned in Southampton, with the first on Saturday at midday, and another on Sunday in Debenhams Park. The flyers say that getting the virus is the preferred option, over the “starvation, depression, suicide, child abuse, domestic violence, imprisonment, governmental spying, and pure desperation” of the lockdown measures.

Hampshire Police have made a statement on social media confirming that they are aware of the plans for the protest, but have not been available for comment about their strategy for managing the event.

This is not the first protest held against the lockdown measures in the UK. At the start of the month, police in London arrested a man taking part in protests that gathered outside the Metropolitan Police headquarters.

The gathering, which amounted to only 20 people, was filmed chanting “hug someone, save lives” with some participants carrying signs that said “My body, my choice.” Other signs seen in that protest showed that those taking part were some of the conspiracy theorists blaming 5G towers for the spread of Covid-19.

One woman at the protest said that the lockdown rules were a “dystopian version of Nazi Germany” and has been mocked mercilessly online after the interview went viral.

While the UK has seen very few protests, the case in the US has been very different. Repeated protests are taking place across the country, with protesters demanding their right to have haircuts and get coffee. Many of the attendees at the US protests are seen carrying automatic weapons.

Despite the mixed message delivered by the PM on Sunday, the majority of UK residents remain in support of the lockdown. A survey by the Observer suggests that 67% of Brits want the lockdown to remain in place until the NHS is more able to cope.

This news comes after it was announced that the UK has surpassed over 30,000 deaths as a result of COVID-19 in the country.