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Original poster

Here we go again Woman arrested for sitting on a bench.

394 replies

MercyBooth · 10/01/2021 00:53

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9130133/Police-told-fine-Covid-rule-breakers-just-ONE-verbal-warning.html

OP posts:
BGRKE · 10/01/2021 00:56

depends why she was sitting on the bench, doesn't it. On the face of it, not exercise, food shopping, work or the way to get medical attention - so that only leaves " to escape domestic violence" really, as her justification for being there. Which it might have been.

Or maybe she was food shopping and her bags were too heavy to get home in one go, maybe?

So basically, she probably shouldn't have been there, but we don't know for sure that she didn't have a good reason.

MarkRuffaloCrumble · 10/01/2021 01:17

I sat on a bench today. Lucky I didn’t get arrested for it! My friend and I are walking 10000 steps a day as our exercise and we decided to walk to the shop today so that she could pick up dinner. I didn’t need to buy anything so I waited outside ON A BENCH. How can this be a crime? I despair of what’s happening around us when people are ok with the criminalisation of sitting down or buying a coffee.

LaurieFairyCake · 10/01/2021 01:24

She wasn't arrested for 'sitting on a bench' Hmm

She was sitting on the bench

Told/advised to go home

She refused/argued with the officers

THEN she was arrested

Seasaltyhair · 10/01/2021 01:25

Jesus Christ this is getting ridiculous now.
You can queue up in Greggs for a pasty but you can’t sit on a bench by yourself...

Flaxmeadow · 10/01/2021 01:26

The police have discretionary powers. In other words, it depends on the circumstances

RickiTarr · 10/01/2021 01:26

The headline is about only one verbal warning being given now, that’s the policy.

The policy is not the women will be arrested for sitting on benches.

The woman was not arrested simply for sitting on a bench. Presumably she was arrested for sitting on a bench despite a verbal warning.

It really isn’t the right year to argue the toss with the police or to expect being middle aged and middle class to protect you from arrest. The black young men of Brixton have been getting this treatment for decades. I’m sure the white fifty somethings of Bournemouth will live to fight another day. 🙄

RickiTarr · 10/01/2021 01:27

@LaurieFairyCake

She wasn't arrested for 'sitting on a bench' Hmm

She was sitting on the bench

Told/advised to go home

She refused/argued with the officers

THEN she was arrested

X post. Exactly this.
StatisticalSense · 10/01/2021 01:28

@Seasaltyhair
You can also queue up for Waitrose to buy caviar but I don't see anyone complaining about that.

SquirtleSquad · 10/01/2021 01:30

She was arrested for failing to provide her details when officers attempted to issue a fine.
This is very local to me and has been explained time and time again.

BridgertonBride · 10/01/2021 01:32

Why didn’t she just get up and go? Why create a drama unless you want to make it into the papers and media...

OhamIreally · 10/01/2021 01:32

They don't seem to be arresting any men.

SquirtleSquad · 10/01/2021 01:33

There was also a really pathetic demonstration outside the town hall and March through the gardens down to this bit of the prom around the same time which is why there were so many police before anyone asks why so many officers were present.

SquirtleSquad · 10/01/2021 01:36

@OhamIreally not in that particular very short snap shot of the day but they did - including some crazy man who had travelled from Bognor Regis to protest here.. Hmm

lljkk · 10/01/2021 01:37

Well that's interesting... deep in the DM article mention of the seals at Horsey: so we residents of Norfolk ARE allowed to drive over to see the seals?? Almost Nobody lives in walking distance to see them!

I heard about people being hassled by police in Norwich for driving to Whitlingham Broad, which is less than 3 miles from most the city. So reckoned driving in Norfolk anywhere just wouldn't be tolerated.

ihearttc · 10/01/2021 09:18

@lljkk

I think what most people don’t realise that you can’t get many places in Norfolk without driving there (I live there too!). We went to Whitlingham last Saturday (before lockdown 3.0) on the way home from delivering food to my parents.

MegBusset · 10/01/2021 09:21

@llkjj where did you hear that? (Am a Norwich local!)

sproutburger · 10/01/2021 09:25

I've seen bits in the news and online about people being spoken to or arrested / fined like this woman. The majority in the pictures have been people of colour and / or women.

2boysand1princess · 10/01/2021 09:26

She was probably seen just sitting there for a while and told to move on and decided to get clever about it.
We need to be strict as the situation is dire for the nhs.
Stay the fuck at home as much as you can. Only go out if absolutely necessary.
Parking your backside on park bench in the middle of a pandemic isn’t necessary.
Which bit of protect the nhs and save lives dont people get.

Treatscatscrave · 10/01/2021 09:28

Sitting on a park bench is in no way spreading the virus.

Thing is, all those wanting harsher restrictions have no fing clue what they're asking for. No. Fing. Clue.

I will have ZERO sympathy for such people when THEY get busted for what THEY view as innocent. Sorry, Madam, we don't really think visiting your dying relative IS necessary...

When we 're all living in North Korea, schadenfreude will probably be the only pleasure left.

HarrietOh · 10/01/2021 09:32

It’s ridiculous isn’t it. Sitting on a park bench on your own won’t be spreading the virus. Surely police have better things to be doing!

Pootle40 · 10/01/2021 09:32

@Seasaltyhair

Jesus Christ this is getting ridiculous now. You can queue up in Greggs for a pasty but you can’t sit on a bench by yourself...
It's been ridiculous for a long time.
Balhammom · 10/01/2021 09:33

@Treatscatscrave

I want harsher restrictions and know exactly what I’m asking for.

If you’re genuinely too stupid to appreciate the difference between a despotic regime and a major public heath emergency then you are there problem here.

Goodbye2020Hello2021 · 10/01/2021 09:36

Exactly this Laurie

She will have been arrested for squaring up to the police when spoken to.
Not for ‘sitting on a bench’

trevorandsimon · 10/01/2021 09:37

What is she had the virus and then sat on the bench? The virus can stay live on objects. The next person sits there and picks up the virus and the next etc.

Seasaltyhair · 10/01/2021 09:38

@2boysand1princess

She was probably seen just sitting there for a while and told to move on and decided to get clever about it. We need to be strict as the situation is dire for the nhs. Stay the fuck at home as much as you can. Only go out if absolutely necessary. Parking your backside on park bench in the middle of a pandemic isn’t necessary. Which bit of protect the nhs and save lives dont people get.
What do you view as ‘getting clever about it’

Asking the police why she has to move?

Pointing out she is not breaking the rules and just having a rest?

Not averting her gaze?

Daring to put her views across?

People are so eager to give away people human rights it’s bizarre.

She could have been a mother who needed half an hour out of the house to just sit and clear her head. Your assuming she started being difficult but you don’t know that.

Two women were fined for walking with coffee - which is perfectly legal to do.

I think some of these coppers are having a hard on for giving people a hard time tbh