Laurence Dollimore
POLICE in Spain have announced they will be cracking down on those looking to flout the strict COVID-19 lockdown rules during Semana Santa this week.
Police Commissioner Jose Garcia Molina made the warning at a press conference in Madrid today, saying officers had noticed a ‘certain drop’ in compliance among citizens.
“We cannot allow it,” Molina said, before announcing that security patrols would be increasing, particularly at night time.
He also warned of an increase in checkpoints and controls during the holidays this week, with fears that people may still try to reach their homes on the costas for Easter.
The increase in patrols will be supported by drones which will be searching the streets for gatherings or other violations.
Molina said there are still many people who are not ‘making it easy’ and who are ‘endangering us all’ by breaking the lockdown restrictions.
In the past few days, the police chief said his officers have stopped people travelling several kilometres just to buy bread, lying about visiting made up relatives and hiding in the trunks of cars.
In the past 24 hours, police have arrested 100 people and issued almost 5,000 fines.
Meanwhile, Guardia Civil boss Francisco Javier Santiago added that his armed forces have processed 6,844 complaints and arrested 25 people in the past 24 hours.
The Spanish Armed Forces, headed up by General Jemad Villarroya, revealed that 7,739 troops have been distributed across 222 locations to aid police in their crackdown.
Yesterday also saw them disinfect 192 old people’s homes.
