Pokemon Go Players Frustrate UK Police During Lockdowns

While attempting to enforce coronavirus lockdowns in the UK, police have encountered difficulties from Pokemon Go players. Fans of Niantic's mobile game are used to leaving the house in order to catch 'em all, but players are entering public places, seemingly in violation of the current rules. According to the Southend Standard, Rochford police posted a statement on Facebook regarding those playing the game where they shouldn't be. Interestingly enough, the statement makes it clear that the people they have had to talk to about violating these rules were Pokemon Go fans above the age of 30. The original comment can be found below.

"Our team have had cause to speak with a number of different men, aged 30 plus over the last week, who seemed to feel it is acceptable to attend certain public places within the district, to hunt Pokemon.

Honestly, yes, you did read that correctly."

That statement seemed to cast a bit of judgement on those that enjoy playing the game, a fact that was not lost on residents of Rochford. As such, the statement received a significant amount of pushback from residents, who claimed that players were using the game in order to get exercise, which is permitted once a day during the current lockdowns. The comment from police has since been deleted, and a spokesman told the Southend Standard that the comment was meant in good faith, and was intended to convey the seriousness of the situation.

This is hardly the first time that the game has caused issues for police during the pandemic. Last year, a San Fermo, Italy resident was charged for ignoring lockdown to play Pokemon Go alongside his daughter. Since the game's release in 2016, Pokemon Go has been nothing short of a global phenomenon, and these stories show just how much the game continues to keep fans intrigued.

In order to keep the game accessible to players, Niantic has made a number of changes to Pokemon Go since the coronavirus pandemic began. Most notably, the developer has made it possible for players to take part in Raid Battles remotely, an option that did not exist prior to last year.

Are you still playing Pokemon Go? Has the pandemic made it difficult for you to enjoy the mobile game? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk about all things gaming!