COVID-19 Protests: Societal Impacts and Policing Responses

COVID-19 Protests: Societal Impacts & Policing Responses
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COVID-19 Protests: Societal Impacts & Policing Responses
Governments around the globe have used different strategies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (Rouleau, 2023, p. 32). Such an answer is not easy because it should be about protecting people’s health and rights, requiring much balance. Thus, the situation is complex – involving issues like regulations and choice of individuals (p. 2). The pandemic has been controlled by enacting strict measures like harsh lockdowns, compelling donning of masks, mass immunization, etc. However, many fundamental human rights and moral issues remain unsolved in this effort to suppress the epidemic. Nevertheless, there has been a concern that such measures would breach an individual’s right to privacy and raise questions regarding the ethics of preferring public well-being over private freedom. Notably, even though there were regulations to protect people, the escalation of such widespread protests has been remarkable. These protests are now a prominent way to voice differences and discontent (De Lint, 2004, p. 2). Following this perceived violation of their liberty, the citizens have resorted to various kinds of joint action. They have used protests as a significant tool for voicing complaints and challenging violations. This indicates that it is difficult for people to balance public health with existing civil liberties (Rouleau, 2023, p.33). Against this background, the emerging protest against pandemic state intervention has demonstrated how much tension this kind of state intervention creates. This paper examines the far-reaching ramifications of COVID-19 holistic policies in various world societies, focusing on their influence on police operations, social arrangements, and civil rights. It explores the unintended consequences of these policies, scrutinizes shifts in law enforcement practices, and analyzes their implications regarding individual rights and democratic values as outlined by De Lint (2004, p. 30) and Rouleau (2023). Hence, this essay thoroughly explores the scholarship and the empirical evidence to understand the intricate dynamics of imposing Covid 19 laws and their consequences for society, policing, and civil liberties.
Police and Community Interaction: Is it the End of the Shift?
Law enforcement agencies’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic is characterized by a radical reconfiguration of policing practices and methods for building a positive rapport with communities worldwide. These included changes in police roles and policing mental health calls. This change in the nature and frequency of police-reported incidents during the COVID-19 period is analyzed by Andresen and Hodgkinson (2022). The study highlights the reduction in reported property and violence crime incidents in multiple jurisdictions with COVID-19” (Andresen & Hodgkinson, 2022, p.15). On the contrary, there was a slight increase in police-reported mental health-related (MHR) incidents between March and August 2020 compared to e...