Kosher bakery fined for drawing social distancing lines outside store
Extraordinary scene at Grodzinski in Edgware sees police officer fine bakery £80 for drawing social distancing lines in chalk to help keep customers safe from coronavirus.
This was the extraordinary scene outside Grodzinski in Edgware just before Shabbat as a policeman fined the bakery £80 for drawing social distancing lines in chalk outside the store to help keep customers safe.
An officer tells a bakery worker, who gives her name as Gemma: “I can’t help the law. We’re going to be ticketing soon to stop people congregating – is that wrong too?’.
Gemma calmly replies: “It’s chalk, it washes off. Would you rather my customers don’t stand two metres apart? I’m doing it for people’s safety – to stop the spread of coronavirus.”
Unmoved, the officer responds: “It doesn’t matter. It’s criminal damage.”
The person who appears to be the one filming the incident, jumps to Gemma’s defence, telling the officer: “People are dying and this is what you care about? This is horrendous.”
Unconfirmed reports claim the fine was later rescinded.
Adrian Jacobs, a Police Liaison, said: “I have been in contact with Colindale and all agree that the officer concerned was a bit overzealous in his reaction. His Inspector has assured me that no ticket will be issued and after the filming stopped the officer after reflection went back into the shop to rebuild rapport with Gemma the lady in question.
We must remember that the police are trying to do their best in very difficult circumstances and are working with the Jewish Community to help where they can.”
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