Rita Ora apologizes for holding birthday party amid coronavirus lockdown
The singer and actress said she was sorry for her lapse in judgment
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rita Ora is issuing an apology after she broke local coronavirus protocols to attend her own birthday party.
The pop star and actress said on Monday that she committed a “serious and inexcusable error of judgment” after photos of Ora and others, including model and actress Cara Delevingne and her sister Poppy Delevingne surfaced on Saturday from the Casa Cruz restaurant in the Notting Hill neighborhood of London, England.
Under lockdown rules that end on Wednesday, all pubs and restaurants in England must close except for takeout and delivery, and people are barred from meeting indoors with members of other households.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ora said on Instagram that she had held “a small gathering with some friends to celebrate my 30th birthday.”
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Rita Ora said on Monday that she committed a 'serious and inexcusable error of judgment.' (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)
“It was a spur of the moment decision made with the misguided view that we were coming out of lockdown and this would be OK,” she wrote.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}RITA ORA SHOWS OFF TATTOOS IN TEENY-TINY BIKINI WHILE IN QUARANTINE
Ora, whose hits include “Anywhere” and “I Will Never Let You Down,” said she now realized “how irresponsible these actions were" and that she takes "full responsibility.”
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Reports of the party attracted widespread criticism.
Reports of the singer and actress' party attracted widespread criticism. (Photo by Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for Warner Music)
According to BBC News, London's Metropolitan Police said authorities went to the restaurant following a report about a potential breach of COVID lockdown regulations. Per The Guardian, the venue is under investigation.
Asked about the event, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman, Jamie Davies, said it was “important that everybody in society sets an example by following the rules. That is for every member of the public, including celebrities.”
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Britain has Europe's worst coronavirus death toll, at over 58,000 people.
Casa Cruz restaurant did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.