Commemoration events across Britain to mark VE Day 75 on May 8 will be ‘scaled back’ due to coronavirus
- Veterans’ procession down the Mall for VE Day in London will no longer go ahead
- Events to mark the 75th anniversary on Friday May 8 will be ‘scaled back’
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National commemoration events to mark VE Day 75 will be scaled back in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government has announced.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said that in line with the latest advice from Public Health England, plans to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe on May 8 will be changed.
A veterans’ procession down the Mall in London and events in St James’s Park will no longer go ahead to protect members of the public.
National commemoration events to mark VE Day (including the veterans’ parade, pictured above) will be scaled back in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government has announced
The Government has called on everyone in the UK, particularly the over-70s, to avoid all non-essential contact and travel.
DCMS said that the Government and devolved administrations were working on new plans to provide a ‘fitting tribute’ for the anniversary.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: ‘It is with a very heavy heart that we have to scale back our VE Day commemorations.
‘Veterans always have and will be at the centre of our plans and our key priority right now is to protect their health and wellbeing.
‘In these unprecedented circumstances I hope that the public will understand why we have made this difficult decision and I hope they will join us in saying thank you to the generation who gave so much on May 8th.’
He added that an update on plans to mark the event could be expected shortly.
Events in Scotland to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day, which included a parade and concert in Edinburgh, are also being rescheduled.
The Government is continuing to plan to mark VJ Day 75 on August 15, to commemorate Victory Over Japan, and the end of the Second World War.
The Government Department said that the Government and devolved administrations were working on new plans to provide a ‘fitting tribute’ for the anniversary. Celebrations for the 70th anniversary in 2015 are pictured above