Greater Manchester Police broke up a child’s birthday party

[Redolent]

They’ve been busy recently...

#UPDATE | Officers attended a property in #Swinton where 3 families were celebrating a child's birthday in a private garden. The homeowner has been issued with a fixed penalty notice.

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The rest of their Twitter exploits:

mobile.twitter.com/gmpolice

Draconian or justified?

@Flaxmeadow

Yes, most other areas but not Scotland!

Has Scotland banned people visiting from local lockdown areas in England?

No. That would be illegal. It's an open border, although so many people in Scotland wish that were not so, they forget they also need tourists and visitors or their economy is sunk lower than the Titanic.

@annabel85

They’ll just do it in their own homes, so I can understand the reluctance to come down too hard on pubs as at least there is a degree of control in place

What will it take for people in this country to behave themselves and follow a few rules? It's absolutely shameful. Manchester area seems particularly unruly.

Behave themselves and follow a few rules?? There are people who have been kept away from their family and friends for months all the minimising is infuriating

What will it take for people in this country to behave themselves and follow a few rules? It's absolutely shameful. Manchester area seems particularly unruly.

Indeed, and people wonder why we couldn’t act like Sweden here. People forget that the Government strongly advised against visiting pubs etc a week before they actually stopped it.

Behave themselves and follow a few rules?? There are people who have been kept away from their family and friends for months all the minimising is infuriating

They can see them every day over Zoom.

Yeah it's difficult but the rules aren't there for a laugh. Better to go a few months not seeing someone than never see them again because the virus has killed their relative. Or someone else's relative will die because of some reckless idiot.

We've all had to make sacrifices but too many think it's beneath them and they're special. That's the reality.

Indeed, and people wonder why we couldn’t act like Sweden here. People forget that the Government strongly advised against visiting pubs etc a week before they actually stopped it.

It makes me laugh when the civil liberties brigade pipe up about Sweden. Regardless of whether or not Sweden have done the right thing, their population are as a general rule far less reckless and selfish, as well as obviously far less populated.

Swedes will socially distance, they won't have thousands going to raves all over the country.

We couldn't do what Sweden did because we have too many selfish or reckless people. Every time any restriction of lockdown was loosened here people took the piss. That never happened in Sweden so they were able to not have to shut everything down.

Ah yes the rule abiding Swedes... Based on what?!

And fuck zoom.

@TrustTheGeneGenie

Ah yes the rule abiding Swedes... Based on what?!

And fuck zoom.

Swedes are well known for their unflinching acquiescence to the state. Not my words, but an analysis that has come up time and time again.

Eg:

“According to Lars Trägårdh, a history professor at Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College, that it depends on the population’s compliance with, and trust in, the state. “It is interesting to see that the Swedish stress on what we call ‘freedom under responsibility’ is getting picked up by the libertarian right in the US. The big problem with all of that is that Sweden is all built, ultimately, on a very strong alliance between the state and the individual.” Swedes, in effect, follow the recommendations of authorities.“

@BBCONEANDTWO no, not everyone. I stuck to the rules with a newborn baby and no family saw her until just a few weeks ago. I know lots of people who stuck to the rules, and we did so because covid is frankly terrifying. We're only just starting to see some of the the devastating long-term effects of even mild cases

These parents chose to have a party in a lockdown area and as a result their kid's party was ruined. My only sympathy is for the kid

@TrustTheGeneGenie

Ah yes the rule abiding Swedes... Based on what?!

And fuck zoom.

Yes to this.

@TrustTheGeneGenie

Ah yes the rule abiding Swedes... Based on what?!

And fuck zoom.

The lack of raves, the lack of half a million people descending on a beach, the lack of football fans celebrating in their thousands outside stadiums, the lack of marches and riots for weeks on end with no social distancing.

Yeah, course people who report are doing it for the good of others. Pull the other one

YY @TrustTheGeneGenie I wonder how many on here would report their own employer if it meant lost wages if the employer had the workplace closed down for a while.

I think alot of people are past the point of being willing to have a relationship with family via zoom tbh

Yet a wedding with over 100 in a lockdown area meant no fines
Seems like the police pick and choose who to fine.

"I think alot of people are past the point of being willing to have a relationship with family via zoom tbh"

Which makes it very frustrating when you end up in local lockdown again because of indoor / garden parties etc.

@Jrobhatch29

I think alot of people are past the point of being willing to have a relationship with family via zoom tbh

Nationally we've been permitted to see family members/social bubbles etc for months now though.

There may be more restrictions on that ahead with local lockdowns, but local lockdowns come about because of too many people ignoring the rules and doing what they want. Therefore, in the context of this thread, don't blame the police for pulling up the arseholes who think the rules don't apply to them, but blame the fucking idiots who think they're special and fuck it up for everyone else.

I suppose the fact that the normal working class family in a high crime area gets fined but a MP advisor can drive with his family in the high of lockdown with Covid symptoms and that's ok not even a fine from the police even BJ said it was ok

THIS!

Yet a wedding with over 100 in a lockdown area meant no fines
Seems like the police pick and choose who to fine.

Which is my issue with the police.

Punish anyone blatantly flouting the rules, fine, but they go after the easy targets and are cowered when it comes to others.

If we had stronger policing in this country there'd have been more compliance. Nip things in the bud. The first rave they should have come down on like a ton of bricks but they did nothing and then they carried on for months in Manchester and elsewhere. Only now are they being strict (but still let the huge mass gathering for Pakistan day go ahead last week).

I think the police have a class problem as well as a race problem.

@Derbygerbil

What will it take for people in this country to behave themselves and follow a few rules? It's absolutely shameful. Manchester area seems particularly unruly.

Indeed, and people wonder why we couldn’t act like Sweden here. People forget that the Government strongly advised against visiting pubs etc a week before they actually stopped it.

Not to mention hoards of people who went to the pub on that Friday evening immediately after pubs were told to close that day "for one last drink!".

Some people are so full of their own importance they'll do what the hell they want and sod everyone else.

People can't blame Cummings when lots of people were ignoring the advice, guidance, SD etc long before it happened. Even in the first 3 weeks of "lockdown" when most people were being sensible, there were still a significant minority still doing what the hell they wanted and getting annoyed when shops etc were closed.

The lack of SD and lack of following guidance has been happening throughout Covid, the "special" people assume they're exempt and clearly don't care if they catch it and pass it on to those around them!

There won't be 100s of pupils and teachers mixing, there will be small bubbles which will be kept separate.

The smallest bubbles at my infant school will be 90. We have class sizes of 30 but due to the restrictions of our school building these classes can not be isolated from one another, hence classes of 30 but bubbles of 90. Also each class has at least 2 adults so the bubble has 6+ staff.

I work across the whole school so my bubble is 270 pupils and more than 20 adults.

Not to mention pupils mixing bubbles outside of the school gate, on their way to school, etc.

My friend works in a sixth form. Their year group bubbles are around 600-700 pupils plus staff. Most staff work across both bubbles.

School bubbles is a cozy safe sounding phrase for the government but anyone who works in a school, and to be fair most parents, know that they mean nothing really.

@HeIenaDove

I think the police have a class problem as well as a race problem.

Police indulged the BLM protests in the middle of lockdown, mass gatherings of people who refused to social distance. They stood by and let raves go ahead as they watched on.

Yep All in it together. Fine a single mum £50 for having a kids party yet its fine and dandy to send someone who has been shielding on an unpaid work trial.

www.newstatesman.com/politics/welfare/2020/08/i-feel-completely-worthless-universal-credit-claimants-offered-two-weeks

"I feel completely worthless”: Universal Credit claimants offered two weeks of unpaid work
Claimants in Halifax, including a man who has been shielding, have been asked for a fortnight of free labour as unpaid “work trials” persist"

@annabel85

*Yet a wedding with over 100 in a lockdown area meant no fines Seems like the police pick and choose who to fine.*

Which is my issue with the police.

Punish anyone blatantly flouting the rules, fine, but they go after the easy targets and are cowered when it comes to others.

If we had stronger policing in this country there'd have been more compliance. Nip things in the bud. The first rave they should have come down on like a ton of bricks but they did nothing and then they carried on for months in Manchester and elsewhere. Only now are they being strict (but still let the huge mass gathering for Pakistan day go ahead last week).

Be careful writing that you'll be deleted

The police have shown just how inept they are during this crisis. In some cases it felt like they were miffed the NHS was getting lots of praise. Some of the stories on here of OTT policing were disgraceful.
I group I'm part of are going to ask our police force via FOI rules for a full breakdown of who has been reported, how many times and whether they went to the address and fined them or investigated. There's have been many complaints that the police here have heavily concentrated on law abiding individuals, especially women, going to their local store, or going for a jog, in one case reports to us a single mum was driving to a cheaper supermarket. She was stopped, and asked was her journey necessary, she said yes of course, I'm going to the Iceland Warehouse. They argued that she could go to Asda as it was nearer and she said she could yes but the other shop was more in her budget and being that she could buy larger packs it would mean she didn't need to go out again for a while. She was given a fixed penalty notice.
Or the woman shielding with her son who couldn't use her garden due to her neighbours trespassing in her garden as there was so many in their garden. I won't say why or I will get bitched again. She was threatened with police action as she called them every day for two weeks begging them to attend and tell them to move on, she had no where else to get some air. They told her she was "harrassing" her neighbours! She hadn't spoken to them as they had threatened her previously.

It's getting beyond a joke. It's obvious that the lack of investment in the police is effecting their ability to manage crime or covid restrictions. They keep on staff who should've been sacked or retired out years ago due to lack of new staff.
This will never go away unless they actually look into incidents of the person is reported several times, especially by different neighbours. We never see police here in our street.

@Aragog

There won't be 100s of pupils and teachers mixing, there will be small bubbles which will be kept separate.

The smallest bubbles at my infant school will be 90. We have class sizes of 30 but due to the restrictions of our school building these classes can not be isolated from one another, hence classes of 30 but bubbles of 90. Also each class has at least 2 adults so the bubble has 6+ staff.

I work across the whole school so my bubble is 270 pupils and more than 20 adults.

Not to mention pupils mixing bubbles outside of the school gate, on their way to school, etc.

My friend works in a sixth form. Their year group bubbles are around 600-700 pupils plus staff. Most staff work across both bubbles.

School bubbles is a cozy safe sounding phrase for the government but anyone who works in a school, and to be fair most parents, know that they mean nothing really.

Then that is NOT good. I was going off what several friends who work in schools (state infant/juniors) told me and the proposed bubbles were nowhere near that size. I stand corrected !

Smaller one form entry Primary schools may have bubbles of 30 but any larger schools won’t.

Most schools are going with year groups as that is easier to manage with staff, but obviously is a nightmare if a ‘bubble’ bursts. And a larger bubble can burst many times.

Also remember social distancing within these bubbles won’t be happening.

This is why many teachers etc are concerned.