Moment ten people are seen SALSA DANCING in London park with no masks – as police say they were too busy to respond
- Salsa group spotted holding a dance class in Battersea Park, south London
- Covid rules state you can only exercise with one person outside a household
- Met Police said they were aware of the dance group but no officer was free to investigate
A salsa dance group were spotted appearing to break lockdown rules to hold a dance class in a London park – but they escaped possibly being fined when the police didn’t turn up.
A shocked passerby spotted the group of around ten people playing music and dancing without wearing masks.
The dancers at point even paired up to hold each other as they practised their moves in Battersea Park.
But despite Met Police being alerted to the possible breach of Covid restrictions, the group later walked off without fines after officers failed to show up.
Passerby Andrea, who captured the scenes, said she was ‘shocked’ by the dancers who appeared to be openly flouting lockdown rules.
She said: ‘I was just shocked that they were less than two metres from each other.
‘Nobody was wearing a mask. When you’re dancing you talk loudly, you breathe [heavily].’
‘These are the spreaders,’ she added.
Andrea said she and a friend had been on a walk but stopped to take in the scenes for around 15 minutes, at which point the dancing did not stop on Sunday night.
A salsa dance group were spotted appearing to break lockdown rules to hold a dance class in a Battersea Park, south London – but they escaped possibly being fined when the police didn’t turn up
In the video, at least five couples can be seen holding each other as crowds of people gather around the bandstand to watch them dance as music blasts from a speaker.
It is not clear if each couple is from the same household.
According to lockdown rules, you can meet one other person from a different household outside for exercise, but you must remain two metres apart.
Government rules stipulate: ‘You may exercise on your own, with one other person, or with your household or support bubble. This should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.
‘You cannot meet other people you do not live with, or have not formed a support bubble with, unless for a permitted reason.
‘Stay two metres apart from anyone not in your household or support bubble.’
Wandsworth Council said parks police were not alerted to the group, who seemingly were allowed to carry on their dancing.
A spokesperson for the Council said all events in the park are banned.
A Met Police spokesman said: ‘We were made aware but it looks like officers didn’t attend. It may be the case that officers in the Battersea area were busy dealing with other incidents.’
They added: ‘No action was taken and no FPNs (fixed penalty notices) were given.’