Petition · past parliament
Make the charge for spitting at someone in a pandemic, that of attempted murder.
Rejected
12 signatures
What the petition asks
Protect the public but more importantly security staff and police by making the charge for spitting at someone during an epidemic /pandemic that of attempted murder.
To protect people.
Why it was rejected
It asked for something that is not the responsibility of the UK Government or Parliament.
Deciding what offence to charge a person with is a matter for the Crown Prosecution Service, and not the Government or Parliament.
We have published a petition calling for a mandatory jail sentence for assaulting (eg. spitting/coughing) emergency worker, which you might like to sign: Mandatory jail sentence for assaulting (eg. spitting/coughing) emergency worker
You could start a new petition calling for the Government to create a new offence, with sentences equivalent to attempted murder, if that is what you would like to happen.
You can find out more about coronavirus and how you can protect yourself and others here:
www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
The Government has also created an online service to help you out what you can do if you’re struggling because of coronavirus: https://www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-support
You can read NHS tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips
You can read impartial analysis of the Government response to coronavirus and policy developments here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/
You may also be interested to know that because of the large number of petitions that have been started in relation to coronavirus, the Petitions Committee has been questioning the Government about its response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Find out more and watch the Committee put questions suggested by petitioners to Government Ministers and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/145767/committee-question-deputy-chief-medical-officer-and-ministers-on-coronavirus-response/
Read letters asking further questions of Government Ministers: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/publications/3/correspondence/
We have published a petition calling for a mandatory jail sentence for assaulting (eg. spitting/coughing) emergency worker, which you might like to sign: Mandatory jail sentence for assaulting (eg. spitting/coughing) emergency worker
You could start a new petition calling for the Government to create a new offence, with sentences equivalent to attempted murder, if that is what you would like to happen.
You can find out more about coronavirus and how you can protect yourself and others here:
www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
The Government has also created an online service to help you out what you can do if you’re struggling because of coronavirus: https://www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-support
You can read NHS tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips
You can read impartial analysis of the Government response to coronavirus and policy developments here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/
You may also be interested to know that because of the large number of petitions that have been started in relation to coronavirus, the Petitions Committee has been questioning the Government about its response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Find out more and watch the Committee put questions suggested by petitioners to Government Ministers and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/145767/committee-question-deputy-chief-medical-officer-and-ministers-on-coronavirus-response/
Read letters asking further questions of Government Ministers: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/publications/3/correspondence/
Timeline
| 28 Mar 2020 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 12 May 2020 | Rejected by the Petitions Committee |
Key facts
Signatures
12
Status
Rejected
Rejected
12 May 2020
Follow this petition
Sign in to get an email when the government responds, a debate is scheduled or held, or the petition closes.
Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.