Residents ‘fear for their safety’ as crowds ignore lockdown rules and gather on Sheffield streets

A concerned resident upset at people gathering in the Firvale area took pictures of a group on Wheldrake Road and asked former Sheffield councillor Ibrar Hussain to help him highlight the issue.

The former Labour councillor of 16 years posted the images on Twitter and has called for South Yorkshire Police and South Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner to ‘act’.

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He said ‘residents fear for their safety’ and claims the current way of policing lockdown rules ‘is not working’ in Firvale and neighbouring Page Hall.

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Mr Hussain has also asked Sheffield MP Gill Furniss to ‘look into’ the issue and ‘act’.

In a tweet to the MP he said breaches of the lockdown rules are putting lives ‘in danger’.

South Yorkshire Police officers have hand delivered letters to homes in Firvale and Page Hall outlining what the lockdown rules are during the global coronavirus crisis.

The letters were translated for the Roma Slovak community, with a large number of residents having moved into Firvale and Page Hall over recent years.

Mr Hussain said: “Residents are very upset in Firvale and Page Hall at the number of people still gathering on the streets.

“There are many people trying to observe lockdown rules and not leave their homes and others ignoring them.

“People are scared at the spread of coronavirus and it feels to many people that it is one rule for one and another rule for another.

“I am calling on the police to take action now because lives are at risk.

“The rules need to be enforced strictly. They have used the softly softly approach for long enough now, it is time for enforcement.”

Under lockdown rules people are only allowed to leave their homes for food, medical supplies or appointments, exercise and for essential travel to work.

As of yesterday there were 730 people in Sheffield who had tested positive for coronavirus and 34 people had died.

Updated figures are due to be released at 2pm today.

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