London party coronavirus
People party on a street as pubs shut for the night due to tier 3 restrictions in Soho, as the spread of COVID-19 continues in London, Britain, December 15, 2020.
Henry Nicholls/Reuters
  • Hundreds of UK revelers were issued fines on New Year’s Eve for breaking coronavirus restrictions. 
  • Sites of incidents included the streets of London, where a woman argued with police while holding a champagne flute; a church, where hundreds of partiers threw objects at police; houses, and pubs.  
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Ringing in the new year came with new fines for some UK revelers who broke coronavirus lockdown measures to party in the streets and in not-so-clandestine locations. 

According to the Guardian, police busted celebrations in Brighton, Manchester, Leicestershire, Sheffield, Essex, London, and Lancashire. Hundreds also reportedly gathered on the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade.

In London in particular, one maskless woman was spotted arguing with police while holding a champagne flute. 

“They were having stiff words,” photographer Thomas Bowles told MailOnline. “The police told her she wasn’t allowed to be drinking in public and were telling her she had to go home.” 

The city was also the scene of 58 unlicensed gatherings at which 217 were given fixed penalty notices, Sky News reported. Four were arrested in central London, the outlet said, and a cafe was busted for hosting about 50 people who were smoking, watching European football, and listening to music. 

Meanwhile, in Manchester, more than 100 fixed penalty notices were issued at places including house parties, a rave, and a pub. 

And in Essex, hundreds of revelers gathered at a church, where they threw objects at the police force. Hundreds more in the county partied at an abandoned warehouse and another hundred celebrated at a house party. The host, along with some others across the country, was issued a 10,000-pound fine - the equivalent of more than $13,000. 

Some England residents are currently under Tier 3 restrictions, which prohibit people from different households from mixing inside, and others are under Tier 4 restrictions, which only allow two people to meet outdoors.

Still, most residents complied with the rules, police told media outlets. 

"I'm sure the right-thinking majority of our residents will join me in condemning this irresponsible behavior, which puts lives at risk," Chris Sykes, the assistant chief constable of Greater Manchester police said, according to the Guardian. 

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