Dear Manchester City Council,

We the undersigned are writing to you to reject your legitimacy as an authority as you do not represent the best interests of the people of Manchester and are instead engaged in a campaign of domestic terrorism against them.

The residents of Manchester have been deluged via a variety of media platforms, including unsolicited mobile phone notifications, with what can only be described as war propaganda, designed to create maximum fear and distress in those who receive it.

Manchester residents have this week been informed that a "major incident" equivalent to a terrorist attack has occurred in the city. With Manchester's very recent history as the recipient of real, violent, life-ending terrorism, the suggestion that an equivalent event is underway is inevitably going to create extremities of terror and panic in the populace.

When one discovers that the "major incident" in question is not, in fact, a terrorist attack or major natural disaster, but instead pertains to a cold virus that - by Manchester City Council's own admission - has not caused any dramatic spike in hospital admissions or deaths, it becomes clear that there is no "major incident" of the scale that could in any way be conflated with terrorism or natural disaster. The hospital admission rate across Manchester has remained low and new cases are overwhelmingly in young, healthy people who require no medical treatment. This does not equate to any kind of disaster.

Therefore, by using alarmist language on such a widespread scale, in a fashion clearly designed to petrify an already vulnerable and traumatised population, Manchester City Council and the local media are guilty of a campaign of profound psychological assault that is akin to a form of terrorism.

We did not vote for this and we do not accept the legitimacy of this or any local authority to use our taxes to terrorise the population.

We expect a comprehensive response to this letter within 10 working days stating that Manchester City Council will cease and desist from engaging in propagandising or terrorising the population or we will be obliged to take further legal advice.

This letter is being sent to Councillor Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, Councillor Nigel Murphy, deputy leader of Manchester City Council, Councillor Bev Craig, executive member for adult services, Lucy Powell, MP for Manchester Central, Graham Brady, MP for Altrincham and Sale West, Andy Burnham, mayor of Manchester, and Darren Thwaites, editor of the Manchester Evening News.

Yours sincerely,

[Names and contact details of 21 Manchester residents.]