Twickenham crackdown with 24 fines for ‘public urination’ after England v Wales
Unruly spectators at Twickenham felt the force of a crackdown on antisocial behaviour at the match between England and Wales last Saturday, with Richmond council issuing 24 fixed-penalty notices for public urination, the Guardian can reveal,The Rugby Football Union is trying to persuade local residents to ditch their opposition to proposals to increase the number of concerts held every year from three to 15,Much of the opposition centres around antisocial behaviour experienced during England matches and, as revealed by the Guardian, the RFU hosted a drop-in event for residents in an effort to convince them that their concerns were being taken seriously,Last Saturday, it is understood that 24 FPNs were handed out to those committing urinating offences which took place in a number of places including front gardens, alleyways, main roads, and bushes,That is despite attempts to tackle the problem by installing barriers in hotspots and deploying plain-clothed officers and stewards to ward off potential offenders.
The FPN amount is £150 but if paid within 10 days it goes down to £100.Councillor Gareth Roberts, leader of Richmond council, said: “We love the fact that Twickenham is the home of English Rugby and that people come from round the world to visit our borough and watch a match, but rugby fans should take this as a warning.If we catch you using our borough as a toilet, we will fine you.No ifs, no buts.”As revealed by the Guardian in October, the union raised the possibility of using “anti-pee paint”, which is designed to leave offenders “covered in their own urine”, when applying for a new licence, which would have paved the way for more concerts.
Last month, the RFU laid out its plans to tackle antisocial behaviour.The union said it was “strengthening coordination with the relevant authorities and ensuring that antisocial behaviour has clear consequences, including working with the Metropolitan police, TfL, and Richmond council so matchday issues can be dealt with quickly and appropriately, and that fixed-penalty notices are being issued for offences such as public urination”.When applying for a new licence in September, the RFU had a setback when Richmond council determined that the limit of three concerts – and only one not on a Saturday – must remain.The licensing subcommittee meeting was told that there were 192 representations against extending the RFU’s licence and only 13 in favour.One representation read: “The pavements and roads are unhygienic, and children are having to walk and scoot through dried urine and excrement,” while another provided evidence showing “urination and indecent exposure” on the individual’s property.
The RFU’s push for more concerts is running in two parts: licensing and planning.The union also had a setback with its planning application last summer but intends to reapply after the local elections in May as well as request a new licence.Before then, the union is on a charm offensive with local residents, vowing to “be the best neighbour we can be”.There is only one more men’s international – against Ireland later this month – before the RFU resubmits its application to the council.Only five days before the local elections, however, Twickenham will host the annual Army v Navy match which has been notorious for antisocial behaviour in the past.
England ran out 48-7 victors against Wales on Saturday and head to Murrayfield to face Scotland this weekend, bidding to extend their winning streak to 13 matches,Scotland were beaten by Italy in Rome last week but the England full-back Freddie Steward said: “Regardless of what has been before, when Scotland play England, you get the best of them,I don’t think it will affect their mentality too much but we know that when they come and play us, they’ll be full of emotion and ready to go,”
The Guide #229: How an indie movie distributed by a lone gamer broke the US box office
Two very unusual films were released last weekend. One you will have absolutely heard of: Melania, the soft-focus hagiocumentary of the US first lady, which was plonked into thousands and thousands of often entirely empty cinemas across the globe by Amazon and Jeff Bezos in what is widely perceived as a favour-currier to the White House. Melania’s $7m takings in the US were marginally better than forecasted (and far ahead of the risible numbers for the film elsewhere) but, given the documentary’s vast cost, still represents a dramatic loss (especially if the rumour that Amazon paid for the film to be in some cinemas is true). Then again, this was a rare multimillion dollar film where the primary marker of success was probably not financial.The other unusual film released last weekend you are less likely to have heard of, even though it dwarfed Melania’s takings
From Lord of the Flies to Deftones: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead
Adolescence writer Jack Thorne takes on the classic tale of deserted schoolboys, while the US band warm up for a pummelling summer of alt metal100 Nights of HeroOut nowMaika Monroe plays a woman shut up in a castle with her husband’s handsome and seductive best friend (Nicholas Galitzine) who has made a wager that he can tempt her to stray from her marriage. Sharp-witted maid Hero (Emma Corrin) clocks what’s going on and does her best to foil the dirtbag’s schemes, in this fairytale fantasy from Julia Jackman. Charli xcx also stars.My Father’s ShadowOut nowṢọpẹ́ Dìrísù (Slow Horses) stars in a semi-autobiographical debut from Akinola Davies Jr in which an estranged father travels through the city of Lagos in Nigeria with his two young sons during a day of violent unrest following the 1993 election crisis.HamletOut nowSomething is rotten in the state of England: Riz Ahmed plays Shakespeare’s famous Dane as a scion of a wealthy British South Asian family in Aneil Karia’s modern take on probably the most famous play of all time
Volcanic vulvas and hermaphrodite marble: Ovid’s Metamorphoses reshaped at the Rijksmuseum
Artists from Bernini to Louise Bourgeois are brought together in a new exhibition exploring the uncomfortable erotic parables of the ancient Roman poetOn three massive screens in a darkened room, snakes glide over the face of artist Juul Kraijer – covering her eyes, caressing her lips. She is the silent but terrifying snake-headed Medusa, and one of the surprises in an exhibition at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam revolving around Greek and Roman myths.While the show features rarely lent works from masters such as Caravaggio, Bernini, Rodin and Brâncuși, it marries them with modern artists who reinterpret the legends where male gods do all they can to get their wicked way and the powerless are punished. Transgender bodies, bare breasts and even a volcanic vulva appear in artworks inspired by Roman poet Ovid’s masterpiece, Metamorphoses.Taco Dibbits, general director of the Rijksmuseum, believes the 200 myths and legends from this ancient epic poem still speak to our uncertain times
‘One of the most stunning sights in the country’: your picks for UK town of culture
From pirates and skateboarders in Hastings to legends and locks in Devizes, from dolphins in Scarborough to the ‘artists’ town’ of Kirkcudbright, readers put forward their favourite placesCulture secretary Lisa Nandy has launched a search for the UK’s first “town of culture”, similar to the city of culture programme, which honoured Bradford last year. After the Guardian’s writers nominated theirs – including Ramsgate in Kent, Falmouth in Cornwall, Abergavenny in Monmouthshire and Portobello in Edinburgh – we asked readers which UK towns they would put forward.Culture in Hastings grows out of the shingle and the wind and the friction between past and present. You can feel it in the fishing fleet hauled up on the beach, still part of daily life, and then a short walk away in bold contemporary spaces showing work that speaks far beyond the town. It shows up in events that belong to the people who live there; Jack in the Green spilling through the streets; Pirate Day turning the whole place into a shared act of play; music competitions that quietly bring international talent into a town that never pretends to be grand
From Dorset to the world: wave of donations helps to secure Cerne giant’s home
It feels like a very British monument: a huge chalk figure carved into a steep Dorset hillside that for centuries has intrigued lovers of English folklore and legend. But an appeal to raise money to help protect the Cerne giant – and the wildlife that shares the landscape it towers over – has shown that its allure stretches far beyond the UK.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more
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