Police shut down group hokey cokey dance in Hastings park

Sussex Police broke up a mass hokey cokey dance routine in Hastings on Sunday following reports from bystanders.

Video footage shared on social media shows a crowd of around 40 people singing and dancing to the popular children’s song.

But concerns were raised about whether the gathering broke current Covid lockdown rules, leading the force to break it up. The crowd quickly dispersed when instructed to go home by officers, and no fines were issued, according to BBC Sussex.

The group can be seen standing near a bandstand in Alexandra Park, which sits in the East Sussex seaside town, with various people holding hands and “shaking it all about” – as the song instructs. It is unclear how many were wearing masks or holding hands with people from other households.

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“Utterly ridiculous. The police have better things to do,” one Twitter user wrote in response to the clip.

“What is wrong with these people? What are they teaching their kids about following rules, nothing, as they clearly don’t themselves? We are STILL in lockdown! Complete bunch of selfish, self-centred morons!” another added.

In England’s current lockdown, people are only permitted to meet one person from another household outside for exercise.

“Officers attended to engage with those present, explaining the government’s regulations and encouraging people to follow them. The group engaged with officers and voluntarily dispersed so no enforcement action was required,” a Sussex Police spokeswoman told The Independent.

“The government’s coronavirus regulations are in place to help stop the spread of the virus, protect the NHS and save lives. We will continue to to use the four Es – engaging, explaining, encouraging and, where necessary and proportionate, enforcing.”

It comes on the same weekend that Metropolitan Police arrested and issued fines to four people at a vigil for Sarah Everard, which took place at Clapham Common and resulted in a protest against police brutality the next day.

In January two women from Derbyshire were fined £200 each when they drove five miles for a walk in January, penalties that were subsequently withdrawn by police.

Jessica Allen and Eliza Moore recalled being “surrounded” by officers at Foremark Reservoir, who insisted driving to exercise was “not in the spirit” of lockdown.