Anger and fear common response to new lockdown

LEICESTER residents say they are angry, worried and scared following the introduction of a new lockdown.

Thousands of people responded to a survey run by our website, LeicestershireLive, asking readers what they thought about the new lockdown – and respondents did not hold back on expressing their feelings.

When asked how they felt about the city being in lockdown, one person – echoing the comments of many others – said: “I am very angry that those of us who obeyed the rules will be punished because of those who did not and will ignore them again.”

Another said: “I feel it will cause great resentment and unrest.

“People who have been abiding by the rules will continue to do so but be angry.

“Those that haven’t – and have caused the problem – will continue to ignore them.”

Many people said they were worried about what this new lockdown would mean for the future.

One person said they thought the police needed to be able to enforce the rules.

They said: “I am worried and concerned.

“Social distancing needs to be policed more vigorously and enforcement action taken more swiftly.

“We need to take the same lockdown approach as Lombardy in Italy did, utilising police and army to police the streets.”

Another respondent said they felt “despondent” and “scared” at the news of a new lockdown, and felt very let down by the government.

They said: “I think the government’s communication has been awful, both to the council and to the people of Leicester.

“We all found out through a throwaway comment at a briefing that there was an outbreak, which is unbelievable.

“The whole situation has been handled so badly.

“I have absolutely no confidence in the government and it doesn’t feel like they think of us as real people, just numbers.

“I’ve never felt so despondent and scared for the future of the UK as I do now.”

A total of 3,436 people responded to the survey.