Festival-goers across the country are hitting back at a wave of violence and antisocial behaviour at events by setting up onsite neighbourhood watch-style schemes aimed at reducing trouble and protecting property.
Although reported crime at festivals has fallen this year, the season has been marred by a number of disturbing incidents, particularly at some of the “high-end” events, which have traditionally been almost crime-free. Two rapes and a sexual assault were reported at Latitude in Suffolk last month, a family-orientated event, while stewards at this year’s Camp Bestival in Dorset reported numerous incidents of vandalism and assault. The Womad festival in Wiltshire, another event with a reputation for being family-friendly, prompted a record number of complaints about antisocial behaviour.
There were also two rapes and an attempted murder at T in the Park in Kinross-shire, Scotland. Some festival-goers say a major part of the problem is a changing demographic among those attending, with the music often taking a back seat to drinking and drug-taking.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2010/aug/15/music-festivals-neighbourhood-watch-schemes
