Police forced to break up 300 house parties
‘All age groups to blame’ as revellers flout the rules
MORE than 300 house parties flouting new restrictions had to be broken up by Scotland’s police over the weekend.
Officers issued at least 101 fixed penalty notices, made 14 arrests and forced entry on three occasions while responding to complaints.
The police action comes after measures were introduced banning people from visiting other households in all parts of the country as part of efforts to limit the spread of Covid-19.
Students were also asked by university bosses not to socialise or visit pubs and restaurants at the weekend.
At the Scottish Government coronavirus briefing on Friday, Chief Constable Iain Livingstone highlighted analysis suggesting that around one in ten house parties police had been responding to were linked to students. But further analysis of the weekend’s figures – covering from midnight on Friday to 11.59pm on Sunday – indicated house parties are being held across all age groups.
Responding to the findings yesterday, Mr Livingstone said: ‘Highly restrictive measures on our lives, freedoms and daily routines are in place as collectively we respond to this public health emergency. Policing is here to support people... officers will use good sense and exercise the discretion that is integral to the office of constable, to work with citizens to support the implementation of these new rules.’
Mr Livingstone said that over the past six months ‘the great majority of people’ had been ‘taking personal responsibility to do the right thing, adding: ‘I am grateful for the support and cooperation of the public and the licensed trade which continued over the weekend. I also want to again underline my admiration and compassion for young people and students who have responded so well to the pandemic at this crucial time of their lives.’
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon echoed Mr Livingstone’s sentiments. At yesterday’s briefing she said: ‘The vast majority of people in Scotland in my experience... are abiding by the rules and they have my deep appreciation for that.’
She added: ‘It is not the case that all of these 300 house parties, or anything like it, were students. These were incidents that the police were called to that span the age spectrum and everything.
‘Don’t any of us think this is all a problem of students, this is about all of our responsibilities.
‘So please abide by the rules, and for people who don’t, the police will take action.’