UK Lawmakers Say £10,000 COVID-19 Fines Should Be Scrapped

Police officers arrest a protestor during an anti-lockdown demonstration outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, central London on Jan. 6, 2021. Tolga Akmen / AFP via Getty Images

Police should not have been given the power to hand out COVID-19 fines up to £10,000 ($11,670), a British parliamentary committee has said.

The UK government announced in August 2020 that those who organize or facilitate “illegal raves,” unlicensed music events, or other “unlawful gatherings” of over 30 people in England could face a “fixed penalty notice” of up to £10,000.