Laurence Dollimore
POLICE in Sevilla have shut down a private ‘house party’ of 21 people for ‘failing to adhere to COVID-19 prevention measures.’
The group had been celebrating the bank holiday weekend on a large terrace in Calle Alemanes on Sunday afternoon when neighbours called in police.
They claimed the revellers were not donning masks or adhering to social distancing during the fiesta.
But controversy has arisen on social media after authorities took photos of the property and tweeted them online.
“Policia Local evicted a party of 21 people, in a house on Calle Alemanes #Sevilla, disturbing neighbours and failing to comply with security measures,” a tweet from Emergencias Sevilla wrote, alongside pictures of the property.
“The infractions have been denounced.”
Twitter users have since claimed that police did not have the right to shut down the party as it was on private property and the meeting of no more than six people is still only a recommendation, not law.
Meanwhile others branded the neighbours ‘despicable’ for ‘dobbing in’ the partygoers, particularly at 8:30pm on the eve of a national holiday.
One wrote: “I find it unfortunate that people can no longer meet even at home. Is the best solution really to go to a bar or to the Paseo Colon? And ‘disturbances’ at 8:30 p.m….those of us who live above a bar feel discomfort at all times and on top of that, you really have to look for them. You are despicable.”
Another said: “I do not know what right the police have to enter a home where no rule has been broken and to evict it. It is shameful and even more so when you show it off it like this.”
Sevilla has seen a steady increase in cases over the past few weeks and has counted the most out of any province in Andalucia over the past seven days.
