We’ve already been warned earlier today about how it looks as though COVID regulations might become even harsher very quickly in a bid to try and control the virus and then a video like the one below emerges from over the weekend that proves that we haven’t really got a chance when there are still people out there acting like this.
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The video features a woman from Bournemouth who is getting into a verbal tirade with police officers after they asked her to move off a bench in compliance with the latest batch of government rules. A later video shows her being arrested by police officers after refusing to give her details so that she could be fined.
Check it out below and see what you think:
I don’t believe in this virus, you cannot prove it exists and yet you’re exerting your force.
Prove to me it exists and I’ll go home now.
Damn. Stuff really is getting serious out there, although the Bournemouth Police Force are claiming that the woman co-ordinated her rant with an anti-lockdown protest that was also happening at the same time in order to try and create a viral video. Seems like she’s succeeded hey in that respect hey?
Anyway, here’s Assistant Chief Constable Mark Callaghan told Metro.co.uk about the incident:
The force believes videos of the woman being spoken to by officers and handcuffed were planned, stage-managed and recorded by members of the protest group who turned up in multiple areas and refused to engage or provide their details.
If people refuse to give their details in such circumstances then it leaves officers with little option, but to arrest until the details are established. Our officers would only arrest as a last resort.
At the earliest opportunity, officers made repeated attempts to engage with the organisers to request that they did not go ahead with the planned protest, but this was unsuccessful. Liaison with the organisers throughout the week led to the individuals changing their approach on the day.
It was clear that the group were deliberately organising their activities, walking around in twos and then trying to come together in a “flash mob” style approach, as they have done previously. This activity went on for a couple of hours.
Officers attended the town centre to disrupt the protest and disperse the groups. Throughout the afternoon officers gathered evidence on people who had attended the protest and were persistently staying within the area for a prolonged period of time. Those people, including those who were arrested, had earlier engagement and were warned by officers.
We are further astonished by the fact that a number of the group were identified to have travelled considerably from out of the Dorset area.
There is no clear exemption for people to leave home to protest. Everyone has a social responsibility to follow the strict COVID-19 lockdown restrictions that are currently in place in order to help keep people safe and save lives.
Our officers have acted with professionalism, integrity and restraint in difficult circumstances and they have repeatedly tried to engage with those breaching the regulations, before choosing to take enforcement action.
I mean when you read all that it makes the original video seem way more reasonable doesn’t it? I’m not really sure what these protesters think they’re even going to achieve by planning events like this though anyway – just follow the rules and stay indoors for a few more weeks and hopefully this will eventually be over. Doing stuff like that isn’t helping anyone.
Saying that though, I guess that most people seeing that video will just assume that the police were being dickheads and imposing on her civil liberties, so she’ll definitely have drummed up some support for her cause with that. Smart I guess, but not really helping the whole situation and promoting an agenda that’s at odds with actually trying to get all this finished. It’s gonna be a long few months.
For more of the same, check out this anti mask rally video that went viral because people couldn’t believe it wasn’t a parody. Seriously.
