Trouble only starts when police arrive
by This is Brigthon and Hove
Copyright: This is Brigthon and Hove
Rowan Dore’s article (Argus, May 14) was an attempt to rally readers against raves.
Careful thought goes into choosing a site for a rave as far from local residents as possible. However, options are limited by other considerations. For example, recently, I attended a free party in countryside far from residential homes. Unfortunately, the land was owned by the Ministry of Defence, which sent dozens of police in full riot gear to force us away.
In Britain today, it is illegal for people to gather in the countryside to have a party or a festival. The police are used to defend wealthy landowners against the landless poor.
Mr Dore mentions the proximity of the Woodingdean rave to a Site of Special Scientific Interest, implying damage was done to it or the ravers would have damaged it. This is not the case. Furthermore, it is customary for ravers to collect their litter when the party is over.
Inspector Paul Smith said: “There was no trouble as people left, so, in that sense, our policing policy of the event was a success.”
However, there would have been no trouble at all had the police not been in attendance. It is regrettable two police cars were damaged.
Unfortunately, a large section of society has come to fear and distrust the police after years of being criminalised by unjust laws relating to assemblies, protests, soft drugs and so on. Rather than being used to block a country lane, the police cars could have been better employed elsewhere.
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