Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Police break up more than 300 parties
Lanarkshire police have been called to more than 300 house gatherings since the end of August – with Monklands topping the list of shame.
Figures released under freedom of information laws revealed police attended a total of 338 house gatherings across the region between Friday, August 28, and Wednesday, October 14, with 96 of them in Monklands and Cumbernauld.
A total of 26 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNS) were issued and 11 people were arrested.
The 338 incidents were split evenly between North and South Lanarkshire. However, most of the 156 gatherings that were in breach of coronavirus regulations took place in North Lanarkshire.
In total, 92 of the 119 gatherings in North Lanarkshire were found to be in breach of the regulations, while 64 of the 119 in South Lanarkshire breached Covid rules.
Police Scotland Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham has called on the people of Lanarkshire to “do the right thing” after the region narrowly avoided being placed into the top tier of the Scottish Government’s new five-tier system of restrictions.
DCC Graham said: “Despite overwhelming levels of co-operation and support from communities across Scotland, a small minority of people continue to host or participate in house parties and gatherings.
“These are not confined to certain age groups and people should not be in any doubt that house gatherings allow coronavirus to spread.
“Where we encounter wilful, repeated, persistent or flagrant breaches we will, as the public would expect and support, act decisively to enforce the law.
“The chief constable has made it clear that we are asking people to take personal responsibility to do the right thing and remember the purpose of these measures is to aid the collective effort to stay safe, protect others and save lives by preventing the virus from spreading.
“Recent figures highlighted public confidence in Police Scotland has risen by around 20 per cent because of the way our officers and staff have carried out their duties with common sense and courtesy during the pandemic.
“Assaults on police officers and staff carrying out their duties uties during this challenging time are d disgraceful f l and will not be tolerated as we remain committed to improving and ensuring their safety.”
As well as the 96 Monklands incidents, police were called to 92 in East Kilbride, Cambuslang and Rutherglen, 77 in Hamilton and Clydesdale and 73 in Motherwell, Wishaw and Bellshill.
Monklands and Cumbernauld also saw the most gatherings against the regulations, with 49.
In Motherwell, Wishaw and Bellshill there were 43 gatherings in breach of the Covid rules as well as 36 in East Kilbride, Cambuslang and Rutherglen and 28 in Hamilton and Clydesdale.
Most of the FPNS, 11, and arrests, six, were also in Monklands and Cumbernauld. Seven FPNS were issued in East Kilbride, Cambuslang and Rutherglen, six in Hamilton and two in Motherwell, Wishaw and Bellshill.
There were two arrests in both East Kilbride, Cambuslang and Rutherglen and Motherwell, Wishaw and Bellshill and one in Hamilton and Clydesdale.