Humphrey CarterPalma11/12/2020 10:30
TW
1

The last time I was placed under a curfew was the best part of 30 years ago in Nigeria, failure to abide by the law resulted in people either getting arrested or shot. The word ‘curfew’ is not a pleasant one, in conjures up dark and worrying images and there are still people alive here in Spain who remember being placed under curfews, with similar consequences, during Franco’s dictatorship.

The word scares people and while there is no doubt that measures need tightening to combat Covid and potential spikes over the festive period, perhaps a more subtle approach to the country’s nocturnal activities could have been examined or introduced - or quite simply another word or terminology used such as ‘lockdown’, which we’re all used to now and it does not have such a sinister ring to it.

Furthermore, do they work? A recent review of several studies on curfews stated that they are ineffective at reducing both crime and victimisation. In fact, some studies do show that curfews can lead to a rise in crime - such as the one Mallorca’s police are having to cope with at the moment.

What ever the rights or wrongs, there are only so many ‘new’ rules, regulation and restrictions the general public will put up with and with the Balearic government due to announce further measures next week, I would advise them to be very careful how they tread and what they say.