10 – 11 June Update

POLICING

Data released by the National Police Chiefs Council shows that a total of 15,715 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) have been recorded by forces in England up to 8 June for breaches of government public health regulations. In Wales, 2,282 FPNs have been issued in the same timeframe. Dyfed-Powys Police has issued more coronavirus fines – 1509 so far – than any other force in Wales and England.

The NPCC’s “Fixed penalty notices data pack – 11 June” is available here (PDF).

Police fines for lockdown breaches are, however, starting to fall. There were 523 fines in the two weeks from 26 May to 8 June – compared with 1,171 in the previous two weeks and 4,796 in the fortnight before that.

At a time when there are open challenges to the prevailing political orthodoxies of the day – not least and most recently on the policing of black communities – a Deputy Assistant Commissioner from the Metropolitan Police is claiming the coronavirus lockdown may have led more individuals to “become radicalised as they spend more time online” and because referrals to the much-criticised Prevent “counter-radicalisation” programme have dropped substantially.

Suffolk Police has responded to the report we highlighted yesterday that the coronavirus crisis could “spark widespread public disorder this summer” although, in fairness, the academic who gave this warning was probably not thinking in particular of a predominately rural policing area (or even the mean streets of Ipswich).

West Mercia Police has asked anti-racism protesters to explore “alternative’ ways of making their voices heard” because of coronavirus concerns, ahead of a ‘Black Lives Matter protest in Worcester city centre this Saturday

Train and bus operators are concerned that the new compulsory requirement for face coverings on public transport is unenforceable. British Transport Police has said it had “no powers regarding the national rail conditions of travel, which is a contract between the train operators and the passenger”. Officers could merely “engage with passengers and encourage them to comply”, it said in a statement.

RESOURCES

‘Protest, Pandemic and Proportionality’, webinar, 3pm Tuesday 16th June. Part 1 in a new series on #protestrights brought to you by our #protest law barristers from our crime & civil liberties teams at Garden Court Chambers.

“In too many countries, public health responses to the pandemic have been securitized and militarized,” said the UN Special Rapporteur on Racism, noting the role played by counter-terrorism practices in responding to the pandemic.

Policed in Covid. Friday, 12 June, 3pm Vicky Conway hosts a webinar to provide a space for different groups to reflect what the Garda Síochána Covid response has meant for their communities. Speakers from Alone, Safe Ireland, Binchy Solicitors, Policing Authority [others tbc].