Rave response ‘over the top’
By thisisessex – Wednesday 13 October 1999
Copyright: thisisessex
The organiser of an illegal rave in Harwich hit back at claims his parties were a nuisance – and said the police response was over the top.
Police officers went to the rave at a war-time bunker off Barrack Lane after reports of a reveller with an air pistol.
But the organiser, who lives in the Tendring area and is known as Swampy, said yesterday that the pistol was owned by a boy who was not connected with the party.
He added when the pistol was found by party-goers it was taken off the boy and thrown away.
The organiser added the incident happened at 9pm on Saturday, but the police armed response unit did not arrive until 13 hours later.
Police said around 50 people were there, but the organiser claimed numbers were between 150 and 200.
Police said the event, which was yards from the police station, had passed off peacefully.
But the organiser, who admitted his event was totally illegal, said: “A lot of money was put out for policing that was unecessary. It was a little bit over the top and they left it a little bit late.”
The man added the parties had to be illegal as permission would not be given for them.
“There’s no way this council would permit us to have an all-night music licence in the area,” he said. The parties are promoted by word of mouth and at other illegal parties.
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