Police will make 'no apology' for enforcing new Christmas Day lockdown rules

Police have said they will make "no apology" for enforcing new Christmas Day lockdown rules.

Scotland Yard has said that officers across London will pay particular attention to groups who have wilfully ignored the rules with patrols prioritised in high footfall areas of the capital.

It came as five police officers were injured and 29 people arrested following anti-lockdown protests in central London.

Hundreds of people joined marches down Oxford and Regent Street on Saturday, and were dispersed several times by police.

The Metropolitan Police Force said that teams will continue to engage first, hoping to explain the rules to Londoners.

Ministers had hoped the seismic shift on rules for the festive period would not require police to adopt heavy-handed tactics in the new Tier 4 areas.

Asked how the latest changes would be enforced, one government official said: “The police are not going to enforce Christmas Day very heavily.”

Another added: “The law is there to provide clarity and certainty. I don’t think you would expect to see police pulling over cars to check where people are going. What we have seen so far is that overwhelmingly people want to do the right thing and follow the rules.”

But Met commander Alex Murray, said: “Our fight against the virus is not over. The rules are very clear and our collective actions in the next two weeks will have a direct impact on how quickly our city will recover. If people ignore these new rules, make reckless decisions that risk lives, I make no apology for the subsequent enforcement action that will follow.”

Extra police officers will also be deployed on the streets over New Year to break up any revellers. 

Speaking at the Downing Street press conference on Saturday, the Prime Minister praised police for having done an “amazing job” by adopting a “light touch” approach when enforcing social distancing rules.

A Home Office spokesman said: “The police have done an incredible job throughout the pandemic. We fully expect the majority of people to do the right thing and to comply with these new restrictions. Where necessary, the police will continue to issue fines. We are working with the College of Policing and National Police Chiefs’ Council on updated guidance for the police.”

Paul Scully, the small business minister who chairs the Government’s hospitality taskforce, is co-ordinating meetings on New Year policing with pubs and restaurant operators.