Health Minister warns against further disregard for regulations on distance keeping.
The British Health Minister Matt Hancock has threatened with the closure of beaches for contempt of Corona regulations. “The last thing people want is for the virus to come back,” Hancock told TalkRadio. The rules on social distance would have to be observed and a second pandemic wave prevented.
If the number of cases increases again, then the government will act, warned the head of department. “We must not go backwards … We have to stop this disease.”
Thousands storm the beaches
Britain is worst hit by the corona crisis in Europe. Each part of the country has its own rules in the fight against the pandemic. Prime Minister Boris Johnson had allowed day trips to England weeks ago, and had met with criticism.
As the weather is expected to deteriorate in parts of the country, the authorities expected the situation to ease over the weekend. On Thursday there were huge crowds of people on the south coast in the most beautiful sunshine.
The seaside resort of Bournemouth, which is popular for its wide beach and Victorian architecture, was particularly affected. There, the authorities triggered a “serious incident” because the situation was no longer manageable. This gives the emergency services more rights and coordination options. Police and residents complained of illegal parking, garbage pollution, aggressive behavior by beach visitors and alcohol abuse.
Kilometers of traffic jams
Many visitors traveled from London and even Birmingham and had to wait up to two hours shortly before Bournemouth to get into the city with their cars. The trains were also overcrowded. Tons of dung were left on the beach. Law enforcement officers and city officials said they were spat on while intervening. It was the hottest day of the year in the country so far.
Elsewhere, too, many Britons paid little attention to the ban on assembly: Thousands of people celebrated winning the Liverpool football championship, which is coached by Jürgen Klopp, at Anfield on Thursday evening.
In London, the police were attacked for the second time in a row when an illegal street party was dissolved. Wales also reported crowded beaches and a mass brawl at the coastal village of Ogmore-by-Sea with injuries.
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