A busker who was fined last year for breaking lockdown rules and playing the piano in Kings Square in York has criticised Boris Johnson.
The PM apologised in the Commons yesterday for attending a Downing Street party in the garden when the public were living under lockdown rules.
Alistair Lawrence claimed he was working within Covid guidelines at the time, but York police wouldn’t listen – and he paid the fine because he couldn’t afford to challenge it in court.
He told YorkMix Radio: “Yes I am angry and I think an honourable man would go!
“Matt Hancock did and so did Allegra Stratton – so should he.”
He added: “I’m also sort of a bit dejected too because I just have a feeling I know what’s going to happen – he will just sort of get away with it.”
‘An insult to all’
Alistair said: “It’s like an insult to all of us. You know, we’ve all like made these hard and fast sacrifices for almost two years now.
“People’s businesses had to close, people haven’t been able to see their loved ones, people haven’t been able to go to funerals, I guess I am just echoing what everyone else is saying, really”
There was widespread concern last March when police hit Alistair with a £200 for playing his piano in King’s Square – and allegedly ‘causing a crowd’.
It was a fixed penalty notice for breaching Covid regulations.
Other buskers had been allowed to play on at the time. Police said they had advised Alistair to leave, and when he didn’t he was penalised “on the grounds of contravening an officer’s instruction”.