Cardiff Bay party-goers break Covid rules and leave huge piles of rubbish

‘Breaking these rules significantly increases the chances of Covid-19 cases rising in the city’

(Twitter)

Groups of revellers who left litter after gathering outdoors in Cardiff Bay, Wales have been criticised for ignoring covid-19 restrictions.

Photos posted to social media showed rubbish left on the ground outside the Senedd after Friday night’s impromptu public party, which follows similar gatherings in recent days.

A Cardiff Council spokesman said: "Once again our teams have been faced with the huge task of cleaning up a significant amount of rubbish left behind by large groups of people intent on breaking Covid-19 restrictions.

"Despite the preventative measures put in place by the council, in partnership with South Wales Police, the Welsh Government’s coronavirus regulations were again broken by a significant number of people illegally gathering in Cardiff Bay.

"The rules are clear, six people from two households are allowed to meet outdoors, maintaining two-metre social distancing.

"Breaking these rules significantly increases the chances of Covid-19 cases rising in the city. We urge everyone to follow the advice, maintain social distance, and to keep Cardiff safe."

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Earlier this week First Minister Mark Drakeford said he was "shocked" by the amounts of litter and rubbish left outside the Senedd.

"I’ve seen the photographs and I’ve seen the accounts on television, and to be honest that is shocking," he told BBC Radio Wales.

"Where people deliberately and intentionally set out to do things that can cause a risk to other people, then both local authority and police have powers that they can use."

Mr Drakeford said that the positive moves made in the country - which include soaring vaccine uptake alongside dropping cases of Covid-19 - could be hampered by those ignoring covid--19 rules and regulations.

I am concerned because when you see those scenes then it does tell us that there is a small minority of people in Wales who still somehow believe that coronavirus doesn’t mean them," he added.

Such events have also been seen in England, with an outdoor rave in Manchester city centre being the precursor to mounds of rubbish being left behind.

Across the UK, social distancing is still in force and mass gatherings are not permitted as such measures work to reduce rates of Covid-19.