Crowds of drinkers flock streets as London enters tier 2 lockdown

17 October, 2020 | Filed under: All News,more news,Opinion,RECENT POSTS,Somali news | Posted by:
The streets of Soho descended into chaos last night as drinkers refused to go home on the last night before London was plunged into tier two lockdown
People living in London are banned from mixing households indoors from today (Picture: w8media/Reuters)

The streets of Soho descended into chaos last night as some drinkers ‘refused to go home’ on the last night before London was plunged into tier two lockdown. Officers were seen leading some people away in handcuffs after crowds spilled out on the streets from pubs after the 10pm curfew on Friday. Pictures show people dancing and socialising, as Londoners enjoyed their last few hours before tighter restrictions were imposed. Anti-lockdown protesters, including Piers Corbyn, also gathered outside in the streets to chant ‘stick your new world order up you a**’ at officers. Visit our live blog for the latest updates Coronavirus news live People living in the capital are banned from mixing households indoors from today but can still meet in groups of six outdoors.

New coronavirus restrictions imposed this week mean that more than half of all people in England are facing curbs on their social lives. Pubs in Lancashire that cannot function as restaurants were closed on Saturday, as it joined the Liverpool region in tier three lockdown. People will not be able to mix with others in any indoor setting or private garden, as well as in most outdoor hospitality venues.

w8media A busy soho with people packing the streets eating and drinking before the sat night lockdown kicks in
Londoners on the streets of Soho (Picture: w8media)
w8media A busy soho with people packing the streets eating and drinking before the sat night lockdown kicks in
People packed the streets of Soho last night (Picture: w8media)
People dance and socialise in Soho, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London, Britain October 16, 2020. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
People dance and socialise in Soho (Picture: REUTERS)

Meanwhile, people in Essex, York, Elmbridge, Barrow-in-Furness, North East Derbyshire, Erewash and Chesterfield can no longer mix inside with those from other households after joining London in tier two. The Government’s new measures place more than 28 million people into the top two tiers of restrictions. It comes as Greater Manchester resists tier three measures, with Boris Johnson warning he may have to ‘intervene’. Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and council leaders across Greater Manchester have insisted they have done ‘everything within our power to protect the health of our residents’, saying people and firms need greater financial support before accepting the lockdown. However, the Prime Minister told a Downing Street press conference on Friday: ‘I cannot stress enough: time is of the essence. ‘Each day that passes before action is taken means more people will go to hospital, more people will end up in intensive care and tragically more people will die,’

Revellers on the night before the tier 2 London lockdown in Soho Featuring: Atmosphere Where: London, United Kingdom When: 17 Oct 2020 Credit: Mario Mitsis/WENN
Drinkers sit outside with friends (Picture: Mario Mitsis/WENN)

Northern leaders have suggested in a joint statement that Downing Street had delayed discussions. They said: ‘We can assure the Prime Minister that we are ready to meet at any time to try to agree a way forward.’ Meanwhile, Wales has closed its borders to people travelling from England and Scotland’s coronavirus hotspots. The whole of Northern Ireland is also banned. Pubs, restaurants and cafes across Northern Ireland have also been forced to close their doors to sit-in customers. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page.

Source:metro.co.uk