Potty-mouthed residents and visitors caught swearing in Barnsley town centre are facing on the spot fines of £80.
South Yorkshire Police and community organisation Barnsley Voice have joined together to combate foul-mouthed tirades throughout June as part of a series of monthly campaigns tackling different types of anti-social behaviour in the south Yorkshire community.
Members of the public are being urged to report offensive and intimidating language in a bid to clean up the town’s image.
Phil Davies, from Barnsley Voice, told the BBC:
“There is nothing wrong with swearing, I do it everyday, but it is when it is targeted at somebody.”
If the member of the public is heard to swear and is potentially causing offence or intimidation, police will intervene. The first option is simply to tell the individual to moderate his or her language but if that doesn’t work, the officer can fine the person a maximum of £80.
Funking the Cuts in Leeds
A Leeds group calling themselves ‘Funk the Cuts‘ have set up in opposition to the government cuts currently being implemented.
The bank holiday weekend saw the group’s first protests as 40 people gathered outside the Corn Exchange in Leeds city centre. From there they went on to highlight the alternative to the government cuts by targeting the banks who were bailed out by the taxpayer and two flagship stores who they say are avoiding paying tax.
All four banks and shops were shut down for up to 20 minutes each – and hundreds of flyers were handed out to the public along the way.
Group spokesperson Joseph Blake said:
“We know the energy that goes into having a party every weekend in this city. Funk the Cuts is a callout to channel this energy against the cuts. Funk the Cuts is about using direct action in a funky and creative way to encourage as many people as possible to take part.”
You can follow Funk The Cuts on Twitter @funkthecuts.
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