Ruislip & Eastcote & Northwood Gazette
Sunbathers on Green told to go home by police officers
SHEPHERD’S Bush police had to use loud speakers from a van to tell people sunbathing on the green to “go home” as the tougher lockdown measures were put in place.
A video posted on Twitter by the Shepherd’s Bush Green policing team, from Hammersmith and Fulham, shows three officers approaching members of the public while one police officer shouts orders at them from a loud speaker on Tuesday March 24.
The officer orders: “Guys, you can’t stay on the green, can you all go home.
“Can you all go home please, it’s not a holiday, it’s a lockdown, which means you don’t just come here and sunbathe.
“Can you please just leave. “The government has a lockdown in force, can you please get off the green. Go home.”
The video was captioned by officers: “Officers approaching and giving clear advice to those who are sunbathing in groups whilst we have a national health emergency.
“We will continue to do our best for the public and the NHS. Please don’t just sit in groups.”
Sunbathers were found sitting on the green the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressed the nation with strict rules to “stay home” except for very limited purposes. These include to shop for basic necessities, any medical needs, one form of exercise a day and travelling to and from work when this is “absolutely necessary”.
Police now have powers to give out fines to those breaching the rules and to disperse gatherings.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: “We fully anticipate the public and business in London will want to adhere to the new restrictions to help reduce the spread of Covid-19.
“We have good relationships with our communities and will maintain our policing stance encouraging adherence to the new measures.
“If we suspect anyone to be in breach of the restrictions we will speak to them, explain what the restrictions require them to do and ask them to comply in order to help prevent the spread of the virus and ultimately save lives.”