04 November 2024 , 09:35
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John ’Mick’ McWilliams is the owner of Edinburgh’s Liquid Rooms and has been drawn into the online rumours surrounding an horrific incident in the city’s Cowgate on Saturday night
The owner of a popular Edinburgh nightclub has dismissed vile social media rumours that he was the victim of a fatal incident in Cowgate.
Edinburgh’s Liquid Rooms owner, John ’Mick’ McWilliams, has posted a video to debunk the local gossip spread by online trolls and confirm he had not died in the tragedy.
This follows police confirmation that a 74-year-old man tragically lost his life after being hit by a bus in Cowgate on Saturday night.
Businessman McWilliams took to social media and said: "Good morning everyone, it’s 11.45am and yes, I am still alive. My condolences go out to whoever did die in the Grassmarket last night. I can assure you I am alive and kicking."
He added: "Social media, such a dangerous thing. This has upset so many people."
His comments come after police issued a warning over social media content following the tragedy, reports the Daily Record. Disturbing images claiming to show a ’severed head’ were shared with the newspaper and on social media platforms.
Chief Inspector Trisha Clark said: "We are aware of videos and images circulating on social media which are causing distress to the deceased’s family and those viewing them inadvertently.
"We would ask members of the public not to share them out of respect for his family, and to report them to the relevant social media platform to prevent further circulation. There has been a lot of speculation, and I would like to reassure the local community that this was an isolated incident and there is no risk to the wider public.
"This was a tragic incident. We are investigating a crash, and our road policing officers, assisted by local officers, are continuing to carry out enquiries. Anyone with concerns or any information which could assist the investigation should contact police."
The scene on Saturday night ( Image: Dave Johnston)
Police flocked to Edinburgh’s Old Town after receiving calls at around 7.25pm about a serious traffic accident, causing chaos in the historic area. The streets were quickly filled with police tape as CID tents appeared and numerous roadblocks were set up, locking Halloween party-goers inside nearby bars, while others, located within the cordoned-off area, were reportedly told to shut down for the evening.
Katie McLaughlin from Dumfries shared her experience of being trapped in Bannerman’s Bar, saying staff had to direct them to exit through a rear door due to the closure mandated by law enforcement. In her own words: "We were in Bannermans having a drink and went to leave but a member of the staff stopped us. He said police were outside and a severed head had been found in the Cowgate. I almost laughed because it’s Halloween weekend and I thought it was a prank. We went to the bar where the staff said, no, it’s real.
"They said that the police had ordered them to shut the pub. They then let us all leave by the back door but we were able to have a look down the street.
"I saw three police cars and five police officers and a small silver tent. The police were taping off the area. We are in another pub now. The whole area is sealed off. It just seems so surreal."
Another eyewitness said: "Police just appeared and started putting tape up. Whatever it is, it looks pretty serious. There doesn’t look to be any cars inside the cordon anyway."
All roads have since been thrown open again. In the aftermath of the tragic incident, officers took to social media to deliver a stern message regarding online content.
Edinburgh’s Road Policing Unit Sergeant Louise Birrell commented: "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man who died. Extensive enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of this incident. Officers have spoken to a number of people who were in the area at the time and work is ongoing to check public and private CCTV footage.
"We are still keen to hear from anyone who has not yet spoken to police. If you have any information about what happened, then please get in touch. Anyone with information is asked to call the police via 101. Please quote incident number 3395 of Saturday, 2 November 2024."