Police out and about at the park near my house in Finchley. Telling people who were not moving around that they had to 'keep moving'. Not against the law to stop! I spoke to a couple of officers who sounded pretty sensible but spoke about people following the 'four rules' which..
... is what a couple of officers I spoke to over a month ago at the beginning of the lockdown said - they were obviously referring to the four 'rules' on the government guidance which aren't the same as the regulations they should be enforcing
I am skeptical that the police should be doing anything in parks except breaking up gatherings of more than 2 people not from the same household. People resting on their own away from others not against the regulations. still stand by this
Now it is possible that someone going out to sit on a picnic rug for a while in the sun isn't out with a 'reasonable excuse' within the meaning regulation 6 but since people can go out to exercise and will sometimes need to rest, and that's fine, I think the real mischief...
... is people sitting around close to each other (within 2 meters) and that's should be the public health focus of enforcement of these public health powers.
My concern about what I saw today was the police engaging anyone who wasn't moving - i.e. stopped. This seems very intrusive and if they aren't with close to other people then really what risk are they creating?
Appreciate the police have an extremely hard job with these regs
Appreciate the police have an extremely hard job with these regs
