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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Bradley Jolly

Coronavirus: Police patrol streets to enforce Britain's strict new lockdown rules

Police are patrolling the streets enforcing the UK's strict new lockdown designed to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The tough measures means Brits can only leave their home for "essential purposes".

After it came into force today officers patrolled streets up and down the country to catch those flouting the regulations.

Some defiant business owners continued to ignore Boris Johnson's order to temporally cease trading.

In Hackney, north east London, officers shut down a mobile phone kiosk.

Police also closed a bakery in the capital, describing both industries as "non-essential" in the current crisis.

Do you have a coronavirus story to share? Email webnews@mirror.co.uk

Armed police in Westminster, central London, talk to a jogger (Evening Standard / eyevine)

One reporter for Evening Standard wrote online: "Met Police shutting down a mobile phone kiosk in Dalston.

"Taking the lockdown seriously. Communications not considered essential,"

And in other cities, large groups were asked to separate - with one police force even reporting a party of more than 20 people had gathered for a barbecue.

Officers in Foleshill, Coventry, wrote online: "Unbelievably, we’ve just had to deal with 20+ people having a BBQ!!

"Please listen to government advice else this will get worse and will last longer!"

Metropolitan Police officers were filmed clearing crowds from Shepherd's Bush Green in London - and ordering them to go home.

A group of young adults on a beach in Tyneside are instructed to disperse (North News & Pictures northnews.co.uk)

In a 33-second clip, which was shared on Twitter, the officers can be heard saying: "Guys, you can't stay on the green, can you all go home?

"Can you all go home, please? It's not a holiday.

"It's a lockdown, which means you don't just come here and sunbathe - can you please just leave?

"The government has a lockdown in force, can you please get off the green - go home."

Police confirmed no one had been arrested following the incident but confirmed officers were patrolling the city centre.

Photographs taken in Manchester's city centre, Peterborough in Cambridgeshire, and Maidstone on Kent showed cops speaking to several large groups.

But anyone who does flout the rules could be fined up to £1,000 or even arrest when officers are given emergency powers.

Speaking to The Sun, the Met Police said: "Police will be out as usual patrolling the streets of London and will use today to speak to people about the new restrictions to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

"While we fully anticipate the public and business in London will want to adhere to the new restrictions, if we suspect anyone to be in breach of the restrictions we will speak to them, explain what the restrictions require them to do and ask them to comply in order to help prevent the spread of the virus and ultimately save lives."

Streets were, however, seen empty in towns and cities across the country.

The Prime Minister's order will last for an initial three weeks, when it will be reviewed to see whether the contagion rate is down.

Speaking during a special TV broadcast last night, Mr Johnson said: “Without a huge national effort to halt the growth of this virus, there will come a moment when no health service in the world could possibly cope.

“Because there won’t be enough ventilators, enough intensive care beds, enough doctors and nurses.

“If you don’t follow the rules the police will have the powers to enforce them, including through fines and dispersing gatherings.

“We will look again in three weeks, and relax them if the evidence shows we are able to.

“But at present there are just no easy options. The way ahead is hard, and it is still true that many lives will sadly be lost.”

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