UK urges citizens to stay at home over Easter, police ready to get tough

 

A sign asking for social distancing is seen, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Whitstable, Britain April 10, 2020. REUTERS/Peter Cziborra

 

LONDON (Reuters) - The British government urged people to stay at home over the Easter holidays, concerned that the pull of wanting to see family and friends could undermine efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

 

The country is into its third week of stringent restrictions, with people ordered to stay at home unless going out to buy food or to exercise once a day. Police have been given powers to fine those who break the rules.

 

"We understand that people will want to spend time with their friends and families this Easter, and we recognise that we are asking the public to make sacrifices in the fight against this disease," a government spokeswoman said.

 

Although the government has said the lockdown is broadly being well observed, people's resolve has already been tested by unseasonably warm weather, with more forecast over the next few days.

 

London's parks were busy on Saturday but nearly everyone seemed to be observing the social distancing rules, while Brighton beach on the English south coast, normally heaving with visitors on a sunny day, was almost empty.

 

Police had warned they will more readily use new emergency powers to fine who flouted the restrictions during the four-day Easter holiday. Scotland's police said it had issued just over 500 fines across the country since the law came into effect.

 

A YouGov opinion poll found 74% of the public backed the way officers have enforced the lockdown so far, but 32% thought they had sometimes gone too far.

 

One police force in central England on Thursday had to retract a warning that it could start checking people's shopping baskets to ensure they were only buying essential items, a step interior minister Priti Patel said would be inappropriate.

 

On Saturday, two other forces apologised after saying admitting officers had been over zealous.

 

In one case, a man was told he could not be in his front garden; in another, police in Cambridge attracted criticism by tweeting that it was good to see "the non essential aisles" of a supermarket were empty.

 

The UK has reported some 65,000 cases of coronavirus and the death toll in hospitals stood at 7,978 as of 1600 GMT on April 8.

 

In some instances people have taken out their frustrations over the restrictions on police: prosecutors have said there have been numerous instances of officers being coughed or spat at by offenders who said they had the coronavirus.

 

Greater Manchester Police said one of their female officers was bitten by a man during a confrontation that broke out on Thursday evening when she and a colleague tried to explain the lockdown restrictions to him.

 

(Reporting by William James and Michael Holden; Editing by Frances Kerry)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-04-11

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16 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Greater Manchester Police said one of their female officers was bitten by a man during a confrontation that broke out on Thursday evening when she and a colleague tried to explain the lockdown restrictions to him.

Bring in the Canine unit and bite the scum back.

Give the UK Police unlimited powers and this is what you get.  They are not exactly renowned for their intelligence and sense of balance, this just proves that point.  They are making the RTP look like Good Samaritans.   

4 hours ago, Pilotman said:

Give the UK Police unlimited powers and this is what you get.  They are not exactly renowned for their intelligence and sense of balance, this just proves that point.  They are making the RTP look like Good Samaritans.   

 

Do you have any facts and examples to support your assertion?

 

Or just a silly rant?

I'm on extreme lockdown with enough red wine lucozade cheeselets and ready meals to survive need some more universal credit though that should come when the unrest starts ????----???? 

There was a report of one police force ( cant remember which) who dyed a popular beauty spot lake  black

( from blue)  to discourage people gong there and taking selfies !!!

5 minutes ago, johng said:

There was a report of one police force ( cant remember which) who dyed a popular beauty spot lake  black

( from blue)  to discourage people gong there and taking selfies !!!

That's up north Buxton I think so it doesn't count in the overzealous policing stats ????

Hard to accept the logic of not being allowed to sit alone on a park bench but police can congregate in groups and also sit mere inches away from each other in police cars.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8207783/150-000-Brits-die-coronavirus-pandemic-domestic-violence-suicides.html

 

"Up to 150,000 Britons could die from non-coronavirus causes because of the UK’s draconian lockdown, it is feared."

 

"‘I’m told the early attempts have produced a figure of 150,000, far greater than those expected to die of Covid."

 

Oops

 

 

 

2 hours ago, johng said:

There was a report of one police force ( cant remember which) who dyed a popular beauty spot lake  black

( from blue)  to discourage people gong there and taking selfies !!!

 

2 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

That's up north Buxton I think so it doesn't count in the overzealous policing stats ????

 

18 minutes ago, Geordieabroad said:

BS

True it was the Blue Lagoon quarry on Harper Hill Buxton

 

3 hours ago, johng said:

There was a report of one police force ( cant remember which) who dyed a popular beauty spot lake  black

( from blue)  to discourage people gong there and taking selfies !!!

Was it this one, where the local council dyed the water black to discourage swimming - the water was hazardous due to very high PH level.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-22843481

Posts/responses removed.

 

If you cannot show at least one link to a credible source for what is being claimed then please dont post it, as the post becomes nothing more than rumor and hearsay  without it, and in these current times we can do without that.

Thank you

4 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

Was it this one, where the local council dyed the water black to discourage swimming - the water was hazardous due to very high PH level.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-22843481

No. This one

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8163209/Police-dump-black-dye-blue-lagoon-discourage-Instagram-selfies.html

Edited April 11, 20206 yr by mrfill

Wow... UK says police ready to "get tough" on Christians going to church. Where's that "get tough" attitude on crime in general in London???????

13 minutes ago, Crazy Alex said:

Wow... UK says police ready to "get tough" on Christians going to church. Where's that "get tough" attitude on crime in general in London???????

Do you think they'll 'get tough' on Muslims attending Mosques?

29 minutes ago, Crazy Alex said:

Wow... UK says police ready to "get tough" on Christians going to church. Where's that "get tough" attitude on crime in general in London???????

 

     That would be called racism,  getting tough on criminals in London.

      Christians easy fodder, for the police ..

 

Edited April 11, 20206 yr by elliss

9 hours ago, johng said:

There was a report of one police force ( cant remember which) who dyed a popular beauty spot lake  black

( from blue)  to discourage people gong there and taking selfies !!!

Covered in this interview with Lord Sumpton on BBC Radio 4 dated 30 March.

 

Edited April 11, 20206 yr by evadgib

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Do you think they'll 'get tough' on Muslims attending Mosques?

It'll be interesting to see if next month's Eid in UK suffers the same fate as Easter...

Edited April 11, 20206 yr by evadgib

8 hours ago, nemo38 said:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8207783/150-000-Brits-die-coronavirus-pandemic-domestic-violence-suicides.html

 

"Up to 150,000 Britons could die from non-coronavirus causes because of the UK’s draconian lockdown, it is feared."

 

"‘I’m told the early attempts have produced a figure of 150,000, far greater than those expected to die of Covid."

 

Oops

 

 

 

Says the Dailymail..

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Do you think they'll 'get tough' on Muslims attending Mosques?

I hope you're not in the UK.... they're more likely to get tough on you for even bringing it up. 

8 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Do you think they'll 'get tough' on Muslims attending Mosques?

YES.

 

Mosques and all other places of worship have been closed as part of the Government's lockdown announced on March 23.

 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/876905/300320_Revised_Guidance.pdf

Some officers are unable to disguise their glee and are rapidly burning up a lot of good will.

Demonizing the public for doing entirely harmless things, such as walking alone on a desolate mountain, or having "non-essential items" in their shopping trolley, is a massive misjudgment.

Even the attitude in more ordinary situations, such as road stops, is extraordinary. Law-abiding tax-payers are having their faith in the police severely shaken.


 

Edited April 12, 20206 yr by donnacha

The UK police really need to lighten up. Many videos show police not social distancing between themselves and not between them and the person they are dealing with.

These are difficult times and heavy handed policing will really not encourage people to comply.

 

The UK becomes more like the US every day. I just watched a video where 4 US cops wrestled a (obviously) black man from a bus because he was not wearing a mask. One of the cops wasn't wearing a mask either.

2 hours ago, donnacha said:

Some officers are unable to disguise their glee and are rapidly burning up a lot of good will.
Demonizing the public for doing entirely harmless things, such as walking alone on a desolate mountain, or having "non-essential items" in their shopping trolley, is a massive misjudgment.
Even the attitude in more ordinary situations, such as road stops, is extraordinary. Law-abiding tax-payers are having their faith in the police severely shaken.

The UK police have been bully boys like this for the past 20+ years (since the miners strike), you just didn't notice as you were white and they never had any excuse to victimise the general public. Now anyone is fair game for them so it's become more obvious.

 

(I apologise in advance to those who feel sad or confused about my post)

Edited April 12, 20206 yr by BritManToo

13 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

The UK police have been bully boys like this for the past 20+ years (since the miners strike), you just didn't notice as you were white

Actually, I'm a 7ft tall gentleman of afro-Carribean descent and the UK police have never been anything but polite to me, even when I stroll naked down the high street, smoking a big juicy spliff.

 

11 minutes ago, donnacha said:

Actually, I'm a 7ft tall gentleman of afro-Carribean descent and the UK police have never been anything but polite to me, even when I stroll naked down the high street, smoking a big juicy spliff.

 

They must have found either your height or length intimidating.

1 minute ago, Denim said:

They must have found either your height or length intimidating.

I sometimes use my length to playfully knock their little cop hats off. They love it.


 

12 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Do you think they'll 'get tough' on Muslims attending Mosques?

How dare you!!! dont be racist ????

12 hours ago, elliss said:

 

     That would be called racism,  getting tough on criminals in London.

      Christians easy fodder, for the police ..

 

And kids playing in their garden ,the police chief had to apologise as an "officer"{if you saw the picture of her looked like one of those pretend police,they have these days) told children it was illegal to be out playing in their garden . give an idiot power etc .

On 4/11/2020 at 5:44 AM, chickenslegs said:

Was it this one, where the local council dyed the water black to discourage swimming - the water was hazardous due to very high PH level.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-22843481

So their solution was to make it even more dangerous with black dye. Your tax dollars at work.

 

EDIT: woah, I take that back. 11.3 pH. Very high. Honestly, I was expecting it was something like 8. My bad.

Edited April 12, 20206 yr by Crazy Alex