A UK city has launched a major crackdown on vile yobs with £1,000 fines for wearing masks, loitering in large groups, rudely gesticulating … and swearing. Liverpool City Council and Merseyside Police want to apply the tough ‘zero tolerance’ rules across most of the north-west city’s centre.
Liverpool City Council said the Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) came in response to complaints from shopkeepers, members of the public and tourists. But they said more incidents were not being reported because of “fear of retribution” if people were seen to be “engaging with authorities”. The new rules – not including face coverings for religious or medical needs – would be in place for at up to two years before being reviewed, Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said. She told BBC Radio Merseyside: “This PSPO is not about criminalising anybody.
“But I’m sure lots of the listeners will have experienced this where they have seen big groups of maybe young people wearing masks, spitting, shouting, throwing things, that is hugely intimidating and hugely unpleasant for people.
“It is not something that should be happening in that public space.
“So it’s not about saying anybody who is ever gathering in a group of six we’re therefore going to have to split you up.
“This is about making it clear that type of behaviour won’t be tolerated and the police have the ability to move them (or fine them) on if they continue doing after they’ve been asked to stop.”
The council said the plans were not an attempt to limit people’s right to peaceful protest, but were aimed at tackling problem behaviour from a “small minority”.
CCTV footage showed people causing trouble had used masks and face coverings to hide their identities, the authority added.
Under the new powers, people will not be allowed to “cover their face with any coverings save for specific items of personal clothing which reflect the individual’s cultural values”.
“For the avoidance of doubt this will not apply to any coverings worn for the specific purposes of addressing legitimate medical needs, personal safety or other lawful purpose,” according to the draft of the order.
It will also become an offence to “swear at, verbally abuse or gesticulate at another person in such a manner as to cause, or be likely to cause, them to feel intimidated, harassed, alarmed or distressed” and to “throw, kick or otherwise propel any item at another persons’ property without their consent”.
Also banned would be to “be part of a group or gathering of six or more persons behaving in a manner which causes, or is likely to cause, harassment alarm or distress to another person”, and “refusing to leave any shop, commercial or recreational premises when asked to leave by an identifiable member of staff of that premises”.
Anyone breaking the rules could be “liable on conviction to a fine” of up to £1,000, or a fixed penalty notice.
Police and Crime Commissioner Spurrell said the order was not meant to “demonise” teenagers, and that it had been teenagers who had raised complaints about safety in the city centre with the police and council.
She rejected the suggestion that the order was a “sledgehammer to crack a nut”.
While city centre Labour councillor Nick Small said anti-social behaviour was affecting the lives of the people in the city centre ward he represents.
He said: “Most young people who are in the city centre are there doing absolutely nothing wrong – they have got nothing to worry about on this.”
He said the police wanted more powers to tackle the “small minority”.
He added there had been focused work with young people over the summer, and the feedback had been that many didn’t want to come into the city centre because they were being abused and intimidated by others.
He said the council and police were investing in youth services across the city but that youth workers alone couldn’t address the severity of the problem.
The order would cover William Brown Street, London Road, Seymour Street, Russell Street, Clarence Street, Rodney Street, Upper Duke Street, Great George Street, Nelson Street, Bridgewater Street, Chaloner Street, Queens Wharf, Kings Parade, Mann Island, George Parade, St. Nicholas Place, Chapel Street, Tithebarn Street, Great Crosshall Street and Byrom Street.
A consultation on the plan runs until the end of September.