Travellers seem to be immune, however...
(For those not native to the UK, "Travellers" is the title given to a band of roaming people who live outside the rules and laws of normal society.)
South-West England is currently enjoying warm, balmy spring weather, a time when the area would normally be flooded with holidaymakers. The economy of the area largely relies on these holidaymakers. However, the police have warned people not to travel during the present crisis, and have been stopping those on the motorways to the South-West who they believe do not have a valid reason for travelling, and sending them back whence they came.
Except for the "Travellers"! On Wednesday a convoy of "travellers" on the M5 caused a major accident, blocking the motorway for some hours. As a result, two vehicles were seized (one no tax or insurance, the other stolen), another stolen vehicle found, but no trace of the driver, one arrested for drunk driving and another arrested for driving whilst disqualified!
The police gave the rest of the convoy "strong words of advice/education around travelling in the current pandemic, advised against this and asked to return to the location from where they had travelled." - which they immediately ignored and carried on to Exeter, setting up several camps on public land. The last time they did this, the clearing up cost came to £20,000!
Despite criminal damage being caused to access the site, the police are not interested in moving them back whence they came, and the council seem powerless.
In short, the police only seem interested in policing the people who pay their salary, and the scroungers of society remain at liberty to do as they please.
https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/concerns-more-travellers-hit-devons-4036117
Biting the hand that feeds IT
