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Sussex residents kick, bite and spit on police officers in a series of Christmas Day assaults
Reports suggest that assaults on police and other first responders have spiked by about 30% when compared to last year's figures.
by Riyaz Patel
in UK News
Image:@PoliceP
Christmas is typically associated with acts of kindness and merry-making, but it appears the goodwill was not extended to police in Sussex in the UK who reported more than a dozen assaults on its officers during the holiday.
In a statement published on its website, Sussex Police said that at least 16 officers had been assaulted while on duty across the county on Christmas Day.
The violent incidents included spitting, kicking, punching, and biting, while one officer suffered a dislocated shoulder, said Detective Chief Superintendent Steve Rayland.
"Each one of these officers has sacrificed spending Christmas with their loved ones to protect the public and catch criminals, only to be on the receiving end of offences committed by a small number of individuals."
The police condemned the "significant" number of assaults as "completely unacceptable" and said such behaviour would not be tolerated.
Of the 16 incidents recorded, 12 occurred in West Sussex and four occurred in Brighton and Hove, the statement read.
Sussex Police did not disclose details about the circumstances behind the attacks, but Rayland seemed to suggest that the public was lashing out at police at least in part for enforcing new coronavirus restrictions put in place over the Christmas holiday.
"We know things are tough at the moment, especially during the festive season, but we're all in this together. Whatever the circumstances, there is absolutely no excuse to assault a police officer, and anyone found guilty of committing such an offence will be dealt with robustly."
Hastings and Rother, in East Sussex, were placed under Tier 4 restrictions last Sunday ahead of Christmas, as part of the UK government's response to an allegedly more contagious mutation of Covid-19.
The rest of the county was moved to Tier 4 yesterday.
The new rules mean that residents must not leave or be outside their homes unless they have a "reasonable reason."
Attacks on emergency workers in the UK are on the rise.
According to official figures, assaults on police and other first responders have spiked by about 30 percent when compared to last year.
Tags: assaultpoliceUnited Kingdom
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