A video has emerged on Twitter that shows some of the challenges faced by the emergency services on New Year’s Eve as officers tried to break up an unlicensed music event that was being held in Thorndon Park, Essex.
Whilst the vast majority of people kept to the rules, small pockets of so-called ‘Covidiots’ were determined to celebrate the New Year.
In the video below, officers from Essex Police can be seen to try and enter a church in Thorndon Park that had been taken over by party-goers.
As officers try to open the door, revellers attempt to hold them back by barricading themselves on the other side of the church door.
After a few moments, the officers manage to enter the venue only to find hundreds of people inside.
Officers then face a barrage of abuse as some of the individuals inside the venue take off their t-shirts, as if to goad the officers into a fight.
Various missiles were also thrown at the police.
Officers arrested three individuals from inside the church, including a 27-year-old man from Harlow, arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, a public order offence, and offences under The Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020.
A 22-year old man from Harlow was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence, possession of cannabis, and offences under The Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020.
And a 35-year-old man from Southwark was arrested on suspicion of possession of Class A and Class B drugs.
Police also seized all of the DJ equipment and issued the event organiser with a £10,000 fine.
Tweeting about the incident, Assistant Chief Constable (Essex Police) Andy Prophet said:
‘I am limited to polite words in describing how selfish and idiotic this minority are.
‘Thank you to the sensible majority in Essex and to the Essex Police teams dealing with them.
‘We will keep hunting down the COVIDIDIOTS’
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