Police in Melbourne, Australia were forced to break up an eight-year-old child's birthday party and hand out over $26,000 in fines for breaching the state of Victoria's strict COVID-19 lockdown.
As reported by 7News, residents of a wealthy Melbourne suburb were shocked when they saw party decorations and multiple people gathering to celebrate a child's birthday over the weekend.
Required to follow Victoria's strict stay-at-home laws amid the coronavirus crisis, the partygoers' celebrations were cut short when locals called police to report the “blatant and dangerous” breach of quarantine guidelines.
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Yet per 7News, 16 people at the party, which included the hosts, were fined $1,652 each.
Australian Twitter users have since taken to the social network to slam those who defied the lockdown restrictions during this ongoing health crisis.
One person wrote: "I think all the families involved in this party should be fined. Who in their right mind would risk holding an 8th party or allo their child to attend it when these fines are being enforced?? The whole lot of them are stupid. [sic]"
Another added: "Wow. Have spent the last 3 weeks work to home. We have between us 6 children that we have chosen not to see. 90 year old parents we talk to from 6 ft apart on the one visit a week we drop off their food. Hope you had a great party. #selfishasf."
A third user said it was "good" that the partygoers had been fined, adding: "My son was incredibly sad when we had to cancel his birthday party but we explained why it was important."
According to 7News, 91 new fines have been handed out to Victorian residents by police in the state. This includes a 20-year-old man from Mildura, who was given five warnings before being handed an expiation notice.