What happened

Derbyshire Police tweeted drone footage taken near Curbar Edge, in England's Peak District, and said they had checked the numberplates of vehicles in the car park and found that some cars were registered to addresses in Sheffield, a 30-minute drive away. 

The initiative aimed to deter people from congregating in public spaces and enforce social distancing measures across the area.

But it was seen as an effort to publicly shame people into not driving into a national park, and was called out by civil rights advocates as disproportionate and an unnecessary infringement of personal privacy.

Big Brother Watch condemned the activity as "sinister" and "counter-productive". Others labelled the practice as "nanny policing". 

Why it happened

The decision to use drones was part of a broader effort by law enforcement across the UK to ensure compliance with government-imposed restrictions during the pandemic. 

The police believed that showcasing footage of lockdown violations would discourage others from breaking the rules.