NICOLA Sturgeon has said the advice against large gatherings "applies across the board" ahead of an independence rally in Dundee next week.
The First Minister told her coronavirus briefing that Covid-19 "will spread regardless of the political affiliation" of events.
A journalist from The Courier asked since remembrance events are restricted this year whether it is appropriate for AUOB to host a rally on October 31.
Sturgeon responded: "I'm not sure which event you're talking about. I don't have an awareness or knowledge on it but generally everyone should be complying with restrictions on gatherings right now because that's in the interest of the health of all of us. There are no exceptions in my view from that.
"There's very good reasons why large crowds of people should not be coming together right now. I stand up here every day and I say avoid crowded places. Unfortunately that will mean a lot of traditional remebrance services will not go ahead, not just in Dundee but across the UK this year.
"Hopefully we will find other ways to commemorate those who have given so much down the years but big gatherings are not a good idea right now and of course there are restrictions on them and that applies across the board."
The journalist clarified that it was an AUOB rally and asked again whether it should go ahead.
The FM added: "I don't know how to be any clearer. I don't think big events should be going ahead no matter what they're for and I've been clear about that all along.
"I don't have the detail, maybe I do have it somewhere, but I'm not entirely sure what event you're talking about, but I don't think anybody who has listened to me over the past six months now can be under any illusion that I don't think big events should be going ahead right now because of the reasons that we all know and understand."
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She went on: "What you're trying to do here is get some suggestion that I'm going to have a different view of a pro-independence rally than I would have for some other but that's not the case because the virus will spread regardless of the political affiliation of the big gathering that might be taking place.
"The rules on gatherings apply across the board and I couldn't really be any clearer on that."
The AUOB rally is to be held in Dundee at 1pm next week. The location is still to be confirmed.
It will be the fourth static rally the organisation has held since July and participants are asked to wear face coverings and practice social distancing.
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