Met Police Crackdown On Covid Flouters

[Stickybottle]

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/met-police-coronavirus-lockdown-flouters-crackdown-fines-b714811.html

Now it’s law, will they enforce it rigidly and disperse the idiots outside St Thomas’s hospital and the like?

[Bobbisox1]

I was hoping someone would post this so thank you
They should be arrested of at the very least given an on the spot fine of up to £10,000 , I would say water canons turned on them but we don't have such a thing !,

[lady-janine]

Are there enough police to enforce the fines?
Don't get me wrong I would love to see the flouters punished in some way and we really need those water canon now as they would make it easier to enforce order.

[Stickybottle]

Are there enough police to enforce the fines?

Bearing in mind that the majority of the London population should be indoors I’m sure there ought to be more than enough officers to enforce the law.

[ummmm]

If our local rag is anything to go by they are issuing fines. I know people have been fined for not wearing masks on public transport. I think it's £200.

The courts will end up being very busy prosecuting people for unpaid fines.

[grumpy01]

Ask the clown in Number 10 Lady Janine about water canons.He spent a large amount of money on them when mayor of London not knowing if they could be used.They were later sold of cheap for scrap.

[bobbinwales]

Its rare to see big groups gathering where police could and should intervene and where water cannons could be used. A much bigger causes of spreading is people popping round to each houses and groups sharing cars, and police are not going to see that

[naomi24]

The police in other areas are issuing fines too albeit probably not enough.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-55506681

My husband was stopped recently and asked why he was out. Fortunately, he had good reason. I believe drivers who don’t have good reason can be fined £1000.

[emmie]

the police can only do so much, and as to water cannons as i have said repeatedly they were sold for scrap a while ago, it was Theresa May as Home Secretary said they weren't to be used i believe.

[lady-janine]

Grumpy - did he make that decision on his own? or was it agreed by committee or was it a directive from someone with more power than he had then?

[grumpy01]

See Emmie post above yours re water canons and scrap.

[grumpy01]

They were in fact sold by Sadiq Khan to a firm in Nottinghamshire in 2018.

[New Judge]

//Bearing in mind that the majority of the London population should be indoors//

The entire population is allowed outside their homes provided they have a reasonable excuse. A large number of them (including me this morning) are outside. The idea that there are just the odd few people roaming around who may be challenged as to their purpose is fanciful. When I was out this morning it was scarcely noticeable that there was a so-called lockdown in effect. But I still don't like the idea of having to be ready with a "reasonable excuse" in the extremely unlikely event that I am asked what I am doing out and about.

[Stickybottle]

the police can only do so much, and as to water cannons as i have said repeatedly they were sold for scrap a while ago, it was Theresa May as Home Secretary said they weren't to be used i believe

As I’ve said before, doesn’t need to be water cannon. A good drenching from a fire hose in the current weather conditions will do the trick.
Nothing like being cold and wet in sub zero temperatures to make you want to toddle off home.