’Ello ’ello ’ello... why have you left the house?
Public face grillings in the street as police get tough on lockdown rules
THE Covid crackdown began in earnest yesterday as police vowed to pull over motorists and question anyone found outside of their homes without a ‘reasonable excuse’.
As new guidance was issued to frontline officers, forces said they would be more ‘robust’ about giving fines for not wearing a mask or socialising – and not waste time listening to excuses. In London, Scotland Yard suggested anyone stepping out of their front door may be quizzed, while those flouting the rules ‘could expect to be fined – not reasoned with’.
Nottinghamshire Police went further, saying officers would be prepared to stop cars if they suspected drivers were not with their families, or knock on doors if they heard loud music and lots of voices.
In the West Midlands, the police and crime commissioner called for a change in the law so officers can enter homes to break up dinner parties and house parties. David Jamieson, the commissioner for England’s second biggest force, said: ‘Clarity on the power of entry would help officers enforce the Covid regulations more easily.’
National Police Chiefs Council chairman Martin Hewitt effectively sanctioned officers to stop people in the streets, saying: ‘It is right for officers to be inquisitive about why individuals may be away from home.’
Scotland Yard announced a ‘stricter Covid enforcement approach’. It said it had issued instructions to officers ‘to issue fines more quickly to anyone committing obvious, wilful and serious breaches’.
This means all those attending house parties, raves and large illegal gatherings will now be fined, rather than just the organisers.
Yesterday saw Met officers break up an anti-lockdown protest in Parliament Square, making 21 arrests.
Around two miles away, colleagues arrested and fined seven supporters of Julian Assange – including a man of 92 – as the WikiLeaks founder was denied bail at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist, leading the force’s response to the pandemic, said: ‘After ten months of this, the number of people who are genuinely not aware of the restrictions and the reasons they are in place is vanishingly small.
‘Our first duty as police officers is to preserve life. The critical situation our NHS colleagues are facing and the way the new virus variant moves through communities, means we can no longer spend our time explaining or encouraging people to follow rules where they are wilfully and dangerously breaching.’
He added: ‘If people continue to break the rules… our officers are ready to act robustly.’
The force put out a statement warning that rule breakers ‘can expect to be fined – not reasoned with’.
At 5am yesterday, officers from Northamptonshire Police pulled over a group of four in a car who said they were on their way to a McDonald’s – which wasn’t open for another two hours. The quartet were each fined £200.