Police shutting down the Aussie’s Ashes celebration was a step too far

Video footage of Tasmanian cops moving in on a bunch of Aussie cricketers celebrating their Ashes win was just a little over the top. Has Covid killed off our sense of fun, asks Nathan Vass.

Video footage of Tassie cops in near-riot gear moving in on a bunch of Ashes cricketers celebrating the end of a two-month contest, regarded as one of the great sporting battles in the world, because the music was too loud looked a little over the top.

Are we all, in this brave new Covid era of rules, regulations and finger waving and blame-shoving, starting to lose our once cherished sense of humour?

Has the bloody virus not only robbed us of our senses of smell and taste but also our smiles?

Screen shots from the video that was published online.

Aussie cricketers leaving the venue.

From the available evidence, there was no Mad Monday-style social atrocity committed here. Sure, it was 6.30am and they were on the booze and they apparently had Barnesy or the like cranked up a notch or three too high. We all know these things can annoy the neighbours.

But gees, the response was arguably on the heavy side, with video showing the players and their friends ringed by stern-faced cops and hotel staff.

To their credit, the Aussie and English players involved complied with the cops’ directions to cease, desist and go to bed.

Australia stars Nathan Lyon, man of the series Travis Head and Alex Carey along with England captain Joe Root were kicked out of the venue.

The Aussie players seen in their baggy green caps.

The incident however, begs the question: Has the malaise of Covid fear evolved into a general social conservatism that makes it okay for cops, health boffins and other authority figures to stroll around the streets and fearlessly tell us all what to do and how to behave?

This is not to suggest this incident was related in any way to Covid or that it’s okay for high-profile sports people to make up their own rules.

But it does seem to be a sign of the times we live in — and which perhaps we need to be aware of — that such a seemingly harmless gathering to celebrate a very significant event attracted such a humourless response.

The players were ringed by cops and hotel staff in a manner that suggested great menace.

It may be time for us all as a society to start backing off on the grumpy pills.