Britain’s police say Sunday that revelers who packed London’s Soho district the night its pubs finally reopened made it “crystal clear” that drunk people cannot socially distance.
England’s hospitality sector sprung back to life after a three-month coronavirus hiatus on what the media dubbed “Super Saturday” or “Independence Day.”
Pubs and restaurants were allowed to start seating clients and barbers could get their clippers out for the first time since March.
But the head of Britain’s police federation says he ended up dealing with “naked men, happy drunks, angry drunks, fights and more angry drunks” while on shift.
“What was crystal clear is that drunk people can’t/won’t socially distance,” John Apter tells London radio.
He says his own police department in the southern city of Southampton “managed to cope.”
“I know other areas have had issues with officers being assaulted,” Apter says.
A scan of police reports from Saturday night showed a similar level of mischief-making across England.
— AFP
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From the Liveblog of
Sunday, July 5, 2020
