Police officers moved on a massive 850 people from Thanet beaches yesterday (May 9).
Police ‘engaged and moved on’ the huge number of people breaking restrictions on public life in place to flatten the spread of coronavirus.
In a tweet Thanet Police posted: “Officers have today engaged with and moved on roughly 850 people in breach of regulations across Thanet’s beaches. We understand the frustrations that come with warm weather and thank the silent majority staying home and protecting our communities.”
#CPT officers have today engaged with and moved on roughly 850 people in breach of regulations across Thanet’s beaches. We understand the frustrations that come with warm weather and thank the silent majority staying home and protecting our communities.#StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/mElW6lJ19O
— Kent Police Thanet (@kentpolicethan) May 9, 2020
The breaches are despite ‘guidelines’ issued for social distancing by the government. A Kent Police spokesperson said: “Officers were out on patrol around the county on Saturday, as they are every day, ensuring people were adhering to the government regulations by engaging, explaining and educating people on the government COVID-19 advice.”
Police powers enacted by the government last month mean police may:
- instruct people to go home, leave an area or disperse
- ensure parents are taking necessary steps to stop their children breaking the rules
- issue a fixed penalty notice of £60, which will be lowered to £30 if paid within 14 days
- issue a fixed penalty notice of £120 for second time offenders, doubling on each further repeat offence
Individuals who do not pay a fixed penalty notice under the regulations could be taken to court, with magistrates able to impose unlimited fines.
Kent Police had issued 53 fines for breaches of government public health regulations under the Coronavirus Act between March 27 and April 13. However this data, published on the website of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, is yet to be updated.
In Thanet there have been 547 cases of people testing positive for the virus. Up to April 24 Thanet has registered the loss of 75 loved ones, with Cliftonville West suffering the greatest number of losses.
Tonight (May 10) Prime Minister Boris Johnson will make a statement about easing of restrictions. This is due for broadcast on all major channels at 7pm.
Hope they closed downed Mannings.
Sea food is not essential and only key workers should be out. No other food shops should be open than supermarkets and our corner shops
Take aways can open, so there is nothing wrong with Mannings being open!
Almost everyone can go out. But people who go out should not be closer than 2 metres unless they are part of the same household.
That seems mean spirited. Perfectly safe to open and provide a service if you don’t succumb to propaganda fear control.
Perfectly safe to open if you and your customers observe social distancing recommendations. “Propaganda fear control” or common sense?
Will the police be telling people to not ride bikes to get to work as announced last night.
Or what are the bike rules.
Yesterday was not May 10th, today is!! Picture on article is an old one as seafood place open. I know some places were busy yesterday, but not sure this bad.
The date has been changed since I clicked on it and commented! 😮
Yes, I updated, realised I had put today’s date
The picture was taken yesterday (the one with the bikes and the seafood)
It WAS this bad, & worse, & Mannings was open! I saw it with my own eyes! Then rapidly left as too many ppl around, no evidence of social distancing & large groups of cyclists sat together drinking, picnics galore & kids playing on the beaches!!
Irresponsible,thoughtless morons
Get a grip Richard it’s an old picture chill out and stay calm
All the pictures are from yesterday
Mixed messages from government ministers did not help
Disagree mixed messages from the media, the government was clear no change to current measures. All the media assumptions before announcement is causing confusion. Media and opposition battered them to announce in advance exit strategy and now the media flout headlines causing mixed messages.
Whats mixed messag about stay at home
No mixed messages!! Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save lives.
What could be more straightforward??
Absolutely, and whilst Thanet has highest infection rate in Kent (and among top 10 in England) why do people depart frpm the safety advice? Do they think they won’t catch the virus – or do they just not think? They risk the lives of all of us apart from their own.
South Korea has returned to ‘normal living’ after being cleared of virus…and now it has restarted again with new infections in a 2nd wave
I am a democratic person but will not flout rules made in such perilous circumstances – the time to resist is not this time.
Shoot on sight
I hope they don’t close Mannings down! Lovely cockles Mussells and Whelks. Great fresh Sea food, very healthy proteins and vitamins.
What happens when the police realise the “emergency” legislation is contravening the human rights act, will they pay back the fines and face compensation claims or will the country formally become a police state?
Human rights. Simple dead or alive from virus. You choose. Life of wooden box. Just stay at home simple.
Get a grip!! It’s Human Rights to be able to be safe from idiots spreading the virus.
I m more worried about the vulnerable who also have human rights being infected by these idiots – this is exactly why the govt are tiptoe- ing around I can’t believe that some people put their own arrogance before the safety of others – now that’s against my human rights – and anyone who criticise the police I hope you never have to call them as that is just an arrogant hypocrite
Idiots. Obviously haven’t been directly affected from this awful disease otherwise they would realise the impact on families etc. Covid doesn’t discriminate. I know so many that have lost loved ones. Only today whilst getting shopping I saw a friend who lost her dad at the end of April and didn’t get the opportunity to say goodbye. I for one won’t be going out until I’m told it’s safe. I want to see my kids grow up.
Here in Thailand we have a 10pm curfew and travel restrictions.Our death toll is currently 56. I can’t believe that in the UK you can just travel the country at will with no checks. This just allows the virus to “network” around the country. No wonder the deaths and infections are so high there.
Yes mannings is a take away but it being open would encourage visitors to the area surely at this time when we don’t need them to be? We just got to be patient a bit longer. As for prevention of visitors coming to the area to flout the rules, its simple isnt it?? Set up roadblocks at the st Nicholas roundabout, about half a dozen police, to vet people entering thanet before they even get here to reduce numbers coming in and not draw on police resources who cannot be everywhere at all times patrolling the isle. Have a couple of police on patrol at Margate station, again vetting people as they come into the town. Job done, it’s not rocket science and it means the remainder of the police force can actually do their jobs within the area day to day when the residents here need them.
What job? Driving up and down all day ( maintaining a visual presence) solving nothing, eating kfc and kebabs? County lines this… Foreigners that…burglary detection failure still at 95%…Great job. Wakey, Lmao
850+ elsewhere over Thanet GOT AWAY WITH DELIBERATELY BREAKING LOCKDOWN LEGISLATION THAT FOR SOME REASON ONLY KENT, THANET POLICE ARE TOO INCOMPETENT TO ENFORCE YET MAKE HUGE WAGES FOR NOT DOING WHAT WE AS TAX PAYERS ARE TOLD WE CAN EXPECT. HOW LONG ARE THESE GOING TO GET AWAY WITH IT? SO MUCH FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, YET GMP TAZERED BLOKE IF THANET POLICE CANNOT DO THE JOB GET MILITARY POLICE WHO WILL.
No mixed messages people, the media we’re given the nod on Wednesday so headlines on Thursday read ” it’s all back to work next Monday”. Who do you think gave the press this info. It’s an old fashion word but propaganda is what it is. So tonight Boris will bluster and mumble as he will have been on front of his mirror having watched his hero Winnie on the Tele last night
No mixed messages… it’s called propaganda. He will be being bashed by his chums in the city who fear they might have to get by with just a few millions instead of the usual billions and true to Conservative values the money men will win.
This is why part of Thanet is the worst hit area in Europe bar London, and the UK under Coronavirus Boris has become the second worst Country in the whole world. The only country in the world with no border controls to thwart further virus bringers entering. No enforcement. Kent Police Chief is causing unrest among law abiding citizens because he has intimated that his officers will act leniently towards regulation breakers asking them to go home. That was a big mistake and has led to the higher than average death figures from the Coronavirus. Does this surprise you? Without proper regulations with enforcement people won’t care and just carry on as is evident in Thanet. Who cares if you or I die, as long as nobody stops them going out socialising? Now Boris is relaxing the regulations gradually from tomorrow, but that won’t make no difference here where no lockdown for many took place will it ?!
The other day in a rival news column it stated that there were 532 deaths from the virus in Kent. It said that it represented 17% of the total number of deaths in the county. So, approximately, 1 in 5 meaning that some 1,660 deaths were recorded out of a population 1.5 million. I may sound callous, but people die all the time from all sorts of things. I understand that if the government had not imposed this lockdown the death rates would have been much, much higher. They also tried to protect jobs and businesses with financial help to encourage people to stay at home. It has worked. No doubt there will criticism of my comments, but that’s ok – it’s just my opinion of the situation.