Adeje police can't keep up with gatherings on beaches and music in bars

The extra restrictions to contain coronavirus infections in the Islands during Carnival week have been clear and, despite repeated non-compliance by some citizens, the authorities have been firm. The agents of the Tenerife municipality of Adeje say they "cannot cope" and that these last couple of days "have been real madness."

According to official police reports, yesterday (Saturday) two large groups of people were disbanded on beaches, one on Del Duque beach, the other on La Caleta beach, where far more than the legal limit of people had gathered playing music, singing, dancing, and drinking in public with no respect for health regulations, ie social distancing or masks.

The reports show that police intervention has also been carried out in many establishments located on the coast of the municipality for music and gatherings, with a spokesperson saying: "It has been a very difficult day for the police."

At the same time, other images from yesterday have been released showing how in a well-known bar on Enramada beach, located on the Costa Adeje promenade next to the Costa Adeje Palace hotel, a band is playing on the beach prompting customers to sing and dance.

Unfortunately at the moment, this activity is prohibited according to the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands (BOC), from Friday until February 22nd, as part of the extra restrictionsto prevent the spread of coronavirus during a period when partying is traditionally at its height.

Although many people are understandably not happy about the new ruling, which is in place for another week, the BOC states specifically that “activities that lead to crowds, not maintaining interpersonal safety distance or improper use of masks, such as holding parties, dances, karaoke, contests, concerts or ambient music that invites singing or dancing are prohibited.”

The worry is that, like at Christmas, that a spike in numbers due to these gatherings will set us back two months on the road to normality after an extraordinarily tough year.