Coronavirus: First £ 10,000 fines issued to nine people for illegal gatherings | UK News

Police have issued fines of £ 10,000 to at least nine people for their involvement in organizing illegal gatherings this weekend.

The heavy fines are the first to be imposed since new rules went into effect in England on Friday before the holiday weekend.

West Yorkshire Police said officers had attended various parties on Saturday night and into the early hours of Sunday.

Four people were fined £ 10,000 each for their role in organizing a party in Headingley, while one man was fined £ 10,000 for another party at a house in the Leeds suburb.

Officers also broke up a party at Burley, with two DJs at the event each fined £ 10,000 and their gear seized.

A music event at Beaver Works in Leeds was also closed on Sunday following reports that it was in violation of coronavirus restrictions.

The Metropolitan Police said they had issued a £ 10,000 fine to a 73-year-old man for conducting an illegal gathering of more than 30 people in Trafalgar Square.

The force is also considering the penalty for four other people for an unlicensed music event in Hackney Wick, east London.

The Metropolitan Police said it was trying to identify other illegal rave organizers after 58 unlicensed music events were reported on Saturday, and officers closed 21 of them.

It comes as police attempt to shut down illegal raves in South Wales and Norfolk after thousands of people traveled from across the UK to attend an event, despite new rules to crack down on mass gatherings.

Up to 3,000 people attended the “totally unacceptable” event in the rural village of Banwen and officers are on the scene, South Wales police said.

Norfolk police are working to shut down an unlicensed, all-night music event in a forest attended by more than 500 people.

Images on social media showed dozens of people dancing at the open-air event in Banwen, Neath Port Talbot, which had a stage and large sound system, with people dressed in high-visibility jackets who appeared to act as sheriffs.

South Wales Police Chief Superintendent Simon Belcher said the force is “scrutinizing all laws” as they deal with crowds.

“This type of illegal gathering is totally unacceptable and we are aware of the concerns it is causing the local community,” he said.

“We have several resources present, including the police helicopter and the highway patrol officers.

“It has been estimated that there are up to 3,000 people at the meeting who have apparently traveled from all over the UK and we are looking at all the pieces of legislation on what steps can be safely taken.”

He added that illegally parked cars “will be dealt with” and people who show up for the event will be turned away.

A resident told Wales Online that he felt like a “prisoner” in his own home and that people could be seen sleeping on the village benches Sunday morning.

Meanwhile, Sheryl Lee Powell said she called police after seeing at least 50 cars arrive at the scene.

“They were going up and down the street,” he said.

Norfolk police said officers are trying to close a meeting with more than 500 people and 100 vehicles in Thetford Forest, near the Grimes Graves English heritage site, that began Saturday night.

Paramedics were also called to the scene after reports that a man had been feeling unwell.

Deputy Chief of Police Nick Davison said: “The coronavirus is still with us and continues to be a real threat, so it is extremely disappointing to see these types of events taking place when the rest of our communities are doing all they can to help stop the spread of the virus virus.

“We will work to identify the organizers, confiscate the equipment, deal with any crimes and impose penalties when evidence is available.”

The events are just two of several taking place across the UK despite new rules taking effect on Friday for England, driven by more than 1,000 unlicensed events since late June.

Anyone in England who breaks the rules could be fined £ 10,000, while at least £ 100 fines will be awarded to people who do not wear masks or attend illegal gatherings, and repeat offenders will be fined doubled to a maximum of £ 3,200.

Welsh government restrictions allow up to 30 people to gather outside.

West Yorkshire Police said a man was charged with causing public nuisance after officers broke up a street party at Wepener Mount, Harehills, on Saturday. Five other people at the party have been fined.

The force also seized around £ 20,000 worth of music equipment from a property in the Chapeltown area of ​​Leeds ahead of an alleged unlicensed music event.

Superintendent Chris Bowen said: “Unlicensed music events and large gatherings of people only serve to spread this deadly virus, and we will take action against those who host and attend them.”

Essex Police said they had seized thousands of pounds of equipment ahead of an unlicensed music event that was due to take place in Harlow on Saturday afternoon and are seeking to take the organizers to court.

Meanwhile, West Midlands Police said early Sunday they had dealt with about 90 reports from the public about possible breaches of the restrictions “but we have not had to use our enforcement powers.”

“Tonight has been dominated by reports of house parties, rather than the large gatherings that we have seen earlier in the last few weeks,” said a spokesman for the force.

Interior Minister Priti Patel said the new rules targeting illegal raves are a response to “the most serious violations of social distancing restrictions.”

But the president of the Federation of Metropolitan Police, Ken Marsh, warned that the legislation would mean “absolutely nothing” for the application in London.

He said: “It might be good for areas outside of London, but it means absolutely nothing to us here.

“People just install a music box in the middle of the street and say ‘it’s not mine’, it’s silly.”

He wanted laws that would allow officers to “be more forceful” in cleaning areas.