Police in England warn rural vigilantes not to take law into own hands during lockdown
Sadly this pandemic has the capacity to bring out not just the best but also the worst in us as this story tells. No vigilantes are required in rural England….
Some rural dwellers in England have turned to vigilantism by attempting to block roads, confront cyclists and erect signs in an effort to deter people from travelling to the countryside for exercise during the lockdown, the Guardian has been told.
The National Rural Crime Network has received reports of “small-scale vigilantism” by some residents growing angry at people driving long distances to the countryside, including beauty spots, for walks or cycle rides. In a worrying development, the organisation’s chair said people had even been “aggressively driving at cyclists”.
Their behaviour has caused concern with those who point out people enjoying the countryside to exercise are not necessarily breaking government rules if they maintain physical distancing, with one police leader warning vigilantes not to take the law into their own hands.
The Guardian has learned of a case in the Lake District where an abusive note was left on the windscreen of a family’s car by a man who also threatened to damage their vehicle after they drove four miles from their home to go for a walk.