UK: Exodus to rave on to the sound of silence – Q2 2003 Exodus to rave on to the sound of silence
Published by Serious about News - Monday 21 April, 2003
Copyright: Serious about News
Sunday, October 27, 2002 - THE hills weren't alive with the sound of music in Chalton after council chiefs destroyed the Exodus Collective's rave equipment.
Environmental Health Officers teamed up with police to raid Long Meadow Farm in the village a month ago.
This week three tonnes of top-of-the-range musical equipment, believed to be worth tens of thousands of pounds, was destroyed by South Bedfordshire District Council.
Items crushed included amplifiers, speakers and a public address system.
The Exodus Collective, which operates out of Long Meadow Farm, had held a series of raves throughout the summer, leading to complaints from residents.
After being tipped-off that more were planned police searched the premises and seized the equipment.
Exodus was given 28 days to claim the seized goods, but when they failed to come forward, the council exercised its right to destroy the equipment under the Environmental Health Protection Act.
Councillor Brian Spurr, who has executive responsibility for environmental health, said: "Seizing and destroying this equipment was a last resort, but we will not tolerate people who break the law by continually breaching noise pollution regulations."
http://www.seriousaboutnews.com/
‘Tough Stance’ to Stop Illegal Raves 'Tough stance' to be taken in bid to stop illegal raves
SURREY police have warned they will take a tough stance on any raves that may take place over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.
Coldharbour residents were left frustrated last week when police were unable to respond in numbers to a rave at Crockers Lane due to an emergency in Horley.
Police explained a man had barricaded himself into his flat claiming he had a bomb and firearms during a seven-hour siege in Horley which they said took precedence over events at the rave site.
A police statement released this week says that every measure possible will be taken to prevent a repeat of last Saturday's events when private land was taken over by ravers and a deserted cottage on the land burnt down.
The Chief Constable of Surrey Police, Denis O' Connor, said: "Those involved in raves should be under no illusion that we will use every measure of the law at our disposal to stop them disrupting other people's lives or damaging their property."
Police have put on duty a "substantial number" of officers who are apparently "trained and experienced" in dealing with occurrences similar to that which has left village residents fuming.
Mr O'Connor said: "We are familiar with sites which are used regularly for these events and these and other likely sites will be monitored and any attempt to stage a similar event will be prevented.
"We will not tolerate behaviour of this kind experienced last week, which led to serious criminal offences."
The statement also emphasised that organisers of illegal raves may be liable for the seizure of their equipment and where they are convicted of offences under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act, the court may make an order to forfeit sound equipment permanently.
Police have sited their success at having successfully prevented repeated intrusions by travellers occupying private land over the last 18 months as proof of their ability to deal with the raves.
BBC NEWS | News Front Page
UK: Industrial estate rave – December 2002 Industrial estate rave
Published by Camberley News Online - Saturday 7th December 2002
Copyright: Camberley News Online
RAVERS descended on a disused building in Camberley at midnight on November 23 for an illegal party which went on until the following afternoon.
Around 400 people took over empty industrial units and defied several attempts by the police and environmental health officers to break up the event, claiming ‘squatters’ rights’.
Reports of loud music were received by police at around 1am on November 24 from residents living near units 21 and 22 in Admiralty Way.
Part of the ceiling of the building was ripped down, radiators were removed and graffiti was daubed on the walls.
Five weeks ago 300 people held a rave in the empty C-House building on the Yorktown Industrial Estate.
Surrey Heath’s chief environmental health officer Ken Stewart has a major role in again dealing with a problem which seemed to have died out a decade ago as musical fashions changed.
He said: “We have very good co-operation from the police. Obviously we are not used to having events like this but we are aiming to re-establish our links with the police.
“I think everybody recognises it’s almost impossible to stop an event once it’s started but the council does take its responsibility very seriously.
“We will certainly be looking to find any links between the two most recent events. Should we find the organisers we would definitely take action against them.”
Chris Norden, system manager of plumbing company Tricom which occupies the unit next to the disused building, said: “One of my colleagues received a call to say that our alarms were going off and that was due to the vibrations from the speakers next door. I was worried there would be damage to our building.
“This is the sort of thing you hear about but don’t expect it to happen on your doorstep and I think something should be done about it.”
He said the company had discussed increasing its security measures.
http://www.camberley.co.uk/
US: Promoters give raves a makeover – December 2002 Promoters give raves a makeover
STEVENS POINT - Matt Ebel and Ethan Koerten think raves have gotten a bad rap.
"There's so much negative stigma. There's so much negative experience," Ebel said of the gatherings built around electronic music.
Ebel and Koerten, both of Stevens Point, are working to change the rave image with a series of parties they promote at Mission Coffee House in downtown Stevens Point.
DJs spin vinyl records featuring a variety of electronic music. Partygoers must empty their pockets, remove their hats and let security guards pat them down and search purses before they're allowed to enter.
Drugs and drug paraphernalia are confiscated and often destroyed, Ebel said.
"What it comes down to is providing a safe place for people to come and have fun and providing good music for them," Koerten said.
The image of raves that police and the general public have is in stark contrast to the music-oriented parties Ebel and Koerten describe. There's so much bad press associated with the word rave, they say they don't even use the word to describe their gatherings.
Organizers canceled a Wood County rave after sheriff's deputies made it clear they were taking a hard line against the possibility that illegal activities might arise. Police in Racine have also cracked down, issuing 445 tickets at a party there.
In Congress and in several states, lawmakers are considering plans to extend "crack house statutes" to raves. Such laws allow authorities to close or even raze buildings found to harbor drug users.
Typically touted as alcohol-free events, raves often attract teens whose parents think the parties are all right because they're advertised as dances and are held at places that don't serve alcohol, said Sgt. Mike Retzki of the Stevens Point Police Department.
Raves' reputation took a hit locally in early September when Stevens Point police and other members of a multijurisdictional task force cracked down on a party above Skipps' Bowling Center. That raid resulted in 17 arrests for various drug violations.
Among the participants were teens 15 years old and younger, Retzki said.
"They're not a growing problem (in central Wisconsin), but they've shown themselves in the last two or three years," Retzki said.
Law enforcement authorities say raves and Ecstasy, the so-called "hug drug," go hand in hand. Stevens Point police found Ecstasy, marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms and various prescription medications at the rave raided in September, Retzki said.
Koerten and Ebel acknowledge police have reason to be skeptical of parties advertised as raves.
"The police have a right to be suspicious, but they don't have a right to jump to conclusions," Ebel said.
True raves, police said, are underground events. Locations often are kept secret until the day of the party to keep law enforcement agencies off guard. Rave participants rely on drugs such as Ecstasy to give them a sense of happiness. The drugs add to the sense of peace, love, unity and respect, or PLUR, Retzki said.
"That's the underlying theme of almost every rave," he said.
Koerten and Ebel counter that true raves are all about the music.
"The last thing I want is for someone to come to one of our parties and to have something happen so they have to be hospitalized," Koerten said. "We're trying to focus more on the music and the DJs."
So far, it seems they're meeting with success.
Capt. Linda Daubert of the Stevens Point Police Department said there haven't been problems with raves held at the Mission Coffee House. Food manager Kimber Seis said there's no need to worry that the raves will turn ugly.
"We don't worry at all because we know how well Matt and Ethan run their parties," Seis said. "They've got tight security. It's a very safe, very clean, fun type of event. People picture these huge warehouse parties where 90 percent of the people are on drugs, and that's not the way it is in Stevens Point."
Retzki said members of the task force, which includes a dozen police agencies throughout central Wisconsin, want to keep it that way. The goal, he said, is to deal with problem raves quickly and effectively.
"We want to make it too inconvenient to have it here," he said.
UK: Offer of help is music to campaigners’ ears – December 2002 Offer of help is music to campaigners’ ears
Published by The Hamsptead and Highgate Express - Wednesday 12th December 2002
Copyright: The Hamsptead and Highgate Express
A BOSS at MTV’s parent company has pledged to help campaigners in their war against drugs and crime in Camden Town.
Dwight Tierney, the vice-president at Viacom Outdoor, specialists in advertising, said the company wanted to play a part in helping to clean up the community.
In October, Mr Tierney hit out at inadequate policing in the borough after Viacom had to foot the £750,000 cleaning bill for an illegal rave in one of its buildings in Jamestown Road.
He said there were too few officers to police the rising tide of violent crime and drug pushers.
It is hoped that the company will now help community action groups in Camden Town advertise their work with poster campaigns or provide recording facilities for possible broadcasts.
Speaking at a public meeting held at St Michael’s Church Hall, in Greenland Street, on Thursday last week, he said: “If you give us a plan where you think we can be helpful we will. We are not going to write cheques to everybody, but we are going to use our resources and help you get the message across because that is what we do best.
“We came to Camden Town because the vibe here is one we all found very interesting and exciting to be a part of and the fact that it isn’t mainstream in its approach.”
However, he added that staff had become increasingly afraid of walking in the area at night because of a rise in violent crime.
He also said drug users were often seen shooting up in alleys around Viacom’s premises.
“The problems for us have been ongoing issues with drugs and violence and intimidation, and just outright theft in some cases,” he said.
The meeting was organised by Jennie Matthias, of Camden Town art workshop S TEEM.
Members of various action groups, tenants associations, councillors, police, children from Camden’s estates and nightclub managers came along to suggest ways of combating Camden Town’s crime problem.
Ms Matthias, of Arlington Road, said: “We have got the community involved because we are concerned about the drugs, drink, crime and murder, and we are worried about what is happening to our children, ourselves and our elderly.”
Roger Robinson, Camden councillor for St Pancras and Somers Town, said: “If we work as a team we will beat this drug and crime issue and we will do it by our own efforts.”
US: More Racine ravers than not expected plead not guilty – December 2002 More ravers than not expected plead not guilty
Published by JS Online - 7th December 2002
Copyright: JS Online
A storm of denunciation descended upon city officials after it was revealed that police had issued $968 municipal tickets to young adults attending a Nov. 2 rave, a party known for distinctive dance music and, oftentimes, illegal drug use.
Even city officials who supported the crackdown said the fine was too high.
In response, the city attorney's office offered to reduce the fine to $100 for anyone who pleaded no contest to being an "inmate of a disorderly house." But when the first wave of those ticketed made their initial appearance in Municipal Court last week, only 19 of 206 took the deal.
If that trend continues on Monday and on Dec. 16, when the rest of those cited will make their initial court appearances, the city could be facing the costly prospect of hundreds of trials - or dismissing the citations en masse.
Assistant City Attorney Scott Lewis said he won't know what will happen until after the second round of court hearings that begin Dec. 18, when people who pleaded not guilty appear for pretrial conferences.
At that time, Lewis said, he will be able to assess how strong the evidence is and decide how to proceed.
With the sheer numbers involved, "I admit I'm placed in a very difficult position here," Lewis said.
The plea bargain obviously offered a substantial fine reduction, but many of those cited said last week that they refused the deal because they had done nothing wrong. They pointed out that only three men were arrested on drug charges, but everyone at the party received the municipal citation, regardless of how long they had been at the party or other factors.
"Basically you're guilty by association and the Constitution says you can't do that," said Racine attorney Erik Guenther, who is representing some of those who were cited.
Even those who might have considered paying the $100 to be done with the case decided against the plea bargain because the citation includes a reference to controlled substances. Although a municipal citation is far less serious than a criminal charge, no one wanted to have a drug-related offense on their record, and many were girding for a fight.
"I think we'll win. Everybody I talked to is on our side," said Laura Maurer, 21, of Waukesha, who plans to enter her not-guilty plea Monday.
"I feel if everybody pleads not guilty, it will get thrown out," added Kurt Bohman, 27, who performed as "DJ Simple" at the rave and drove six hours from his Minneapolis home to plead not guilty last week. "It will clog up the court system. It already has."
Court officials had expected no more than 100 people would plead not guilty last week and were unable to immediately schedule a pretrial conference for about half of them. The hallway outside the court clerk's office was filled with those pleading not guilty, many sporting multiple body piercings and a few who brought their toddlers.
Ald. John Engel, chairman of the Common Council's Public Safety and Buildings Committee, said he agreed with offering to reduce the fines, but said it was important that police took a hard line at the rave party in order to discourage future raves. He said such parties are known for illegal drug use and illegal drugs were found at the Racine party, which was held at the Tradewinds tavern.
"Are we turning into a rigid, hard-nosed community? I don't think so," Engel said.
Engel and other city officials acknowledged that one of the aims of the crackdown was to discourage anyone from ever holding another rave in Racine. It might have worked.
"I would never come down here again," said Joseph Johnson, 25, of Milwaukee.
Daniel Kushner, 23, of Chicago, who like Johnson pleaded not guilty last week, said the popularity of raves had been on the decline, partly because of the law enforcement crackdowns, which usually result in raves being shut down and party-goers being sent home.
"The golden era of the scene has passed," he said. "They've worn us down pretty well. There's no 'us' anymore."
http://www.jsonline.com/
US: Irate rave-goers plead not guilty in Racine bust – December 2002 Irate rave-goers plead not guilty in Racine bust
Published by JS Online - 2nd December 2002
Copyright: JS Online
Racine - Defiance was in the air Monday as most of the people who received $968 citations for attending a rave party in Racine rejected an offer to settle their cases for $100.
The dozens of not-guilty pleas filed Monday mean the city might have to hire a special prosecutor to handle potentially hundreds of Municipal Court trials.
Police had issued the "inmate of a disorderly house/controlled substances" citations to 441 people after breaking up the rave at a bar on Nov. 2. They also arrested three men on drug charges.
The Racine city attorney's office then offered to reduce the fine to $100 for anyone who pleaded no contest to the municipal citation.
But on Monday, when 206 of the young adults were scheduled to make their initial court appearance, only 19 pleaded no contest, were found guilty and paid the $100; 40 did not appear and were found guilty by default. That left 147, or more than 70%, who pleaded not guilty and demanded a trial.
The rest of the people ticketed are scheduled to enter their pleas next Monday and Dec. 16. If, as happened Monday, a majority pleads not guilty, the city could face having to schedule hundreds of trials. That could make it necessary not only to hire a special prosecutor, but also to pay overtime to police officers appearing as witnesses outside their regular shifts.
That added inconvenience for prosecutors is just what many of the people had in mind.
"I feel if everybody pleads not guilty, it will get thrown out," said Kurt Bohman, 27, who performed as "DJ Simple" at the rave and drove six hours from his Minneapolis home for Monday's court appearance. "It will clog up the court system. It already has."
Court officials had expected that no more than 100 people would plead not guilty Monday. As a result, officials were unable to immediately schedule a pretrial conference for about half of them. At those conferences, which begin Dec. 18, those cited will confer with a city prosecutor to try to settle their case before a trial.
Assistant City Attorney Scott Lewis said he had made the $100 fine offer because $968 was "a little steep." He said that he and other prosecutors would listen to each person's story at the pretrial conferences, but that dismissing even one case could put the city at risk of having to dismiss all of them.
Lewis, who entered his 25th year in the city attorney's office on Monday, said his office had not attempted to prosecute such a mass of people since more than 100 striking teachers were cited after a rally in the mid-1970s.
Ald. John Engel, chairman of the Common Council's Public Safety and Buildings Committee, said he agreed with offering to reduce the fines but said it was important that police took a hard line at the rave party in order to discourage future raves. Such parties are known for illegal drug use, and illegal drugs were found at the Racine party, he said.
"Are we turning into a rigid, hard-nosed community? I don't think so," Engel said.
Some of the rave-goers who were cited, however, said they think the days of the raves are numbered.
"The golden era of the scene has passed," said Daniel Kushner, 23, of Chicago, who pleaded not guilty Monday. "They've worn us down pretty well. There's no 'us' anymore."
http://www.jsonline.com/
UK: Ravers cause for complaint – December 2002 Ravers cause for complaint
Published by Camberley News and Mail - Saturday, 7th December
Copyright: Camberley News and Mail
MORE than 300 people took over a disused building on Saturday night for an organised, illegal rave which continued into Sunday morning.
Residents living near to Stanhope Road, Camberley, were woken in the middle of the night by loud music at the party which went on until 8am.
The large number of revellers came from outside the area and proved too much for environmental health officers, who were called in to try and shut down the event.
Surrey Heath Council received a number of complaints from residents living on the Yorktown estate and an on-call officer was called to the C-House building in an effort to stop the event.
One resident, who did not want to be named, told the News they were woken by the music at 2.30am and got up to investigate.
“My wife thought that a car was outside the house, playing loud music.
“It wasn’t, but I thought it might be a party at a house nearby. I thought I’d go and tell them to turn the music down.”
On further investigation it was clear the music was from the disused building, more than half a mile away in the industrial part of the Yorktown estate.
“I walked towards where the sound was coming from and looked in to the building and could clearly see a large gathering of people and two dancers with batons of fire.”
The resident, who was in touch with the council throughout the night continued: “The environmental health officer phoned to say he had been to the site on his own and decided not to go any further.”
The resident went on to say he had received another call from the officer, informing him he had returned with the police and asked party goers to simply turn the music down.
The resident criticised the council, saying that in his opinion, the officer wasn’t carrying out his duties “to the full extent at which he should be” and questioned why backup to stop the event wasn’t called for.
Chief environmental health officer Ken Stewart explained the council’s position and the action it takes regarding such events.
“What happened was an illegal event. It was not held on suitable premises, there’s been no application for a public entertainment licence and we are seeking the organisers of the event.
“If successful, we would want to take action against those persons for organising such an event in the borough and prevent it becoming a regular occurrence.
“Unfortunately, we weren’t able to stop the event once it had started but in circumstances like this, unless it’s possible to get a large police presence you have no hope of closing it down.”
“We are in contact with the police and the owners of the building to make the best use of the building. It’s possible it could happen again unless we take steps to stop it.”
http://www.camberley.co.uk/
UK: Police spell out illegal rave warning – December 2002 Police spell out illegal rave warning
Published by East Anglian Times - 30 November 2002
Copyright: East Anglian Times
POLICE in Essex have reiterated their strong stance against illegal raves, saying the county is a "no-go" area for them.
But rave organisers have hit out at the policy, claiming officers make it impossible for them to be held even when landowners have agreed an event can take place.
Measures being taken by police include advising organisers not to go ahead with unlicensed raves they have heard about, and moving in to shut down an illegal rave which is in progress. The police are working with district councils and other agencies to tackle the problem.
But a spokesman for rave organisers Pulse-8, who did not wish to be named, said they wanted to co-operate with police.
He said: "Unfortunately Essex Police are making it almost impossible for us to hold a licensed rave.
"We have found places before where the farmer has given permission and the police have gone to them and told them it is a bad idea and not to do it.
"They could save an awful lot of man hours if they assigned one person to liaise with us properly rather than all the officers it takes to close down a rave. What do they expect us to do?"
But Chief Supt Ian Brown, head of Essex Police Mobile Support Division, said: "Anyone who feels the police are being killjoys should think again.
"Organisers who profit from large-scale events without a public entertainment licence, and the safety measures the licence requires, are putting people at risk. Essex Police wants to prevent anyone coming to harm.
"It adds insult to injury when rave promoters believe they have a right to invade other people's property, without any consent being sought, to make money from these events."
Legislation specifically prohibits open air raves, which became fashionable during the early 1990s.
They were made illegal because of the potential nuisance they could cause and fears about safety.
Colin Daines, environmental protection service manager for Colchester Borough Council, said the council worked closely with the police if an illegal rave caused problems.
He said the council had a two-fold responsibility, for making sure the correct public entertainment license had been obtained and for possibly seizing sound equipment or prosecuting organisers if a noise nuisance was caused.
In May, a man from Basildon, in south Essex, who held an event attended by around 300 people in his own outbuilding was jailed for three months and ordered to pay £2,500 costs by Southend magistrates for not obtaining a liquor licence or a public entertainment licence.
US: Safe party challenges stereotypes – November 2002 Safe party challenges stereotypes
By SJ.com - Tuesday 15th October, 2002
Copyright: SJ.com
About 300 revelers crept back home early Sunday morning after dancing all night under black lights, neon canopies and the stars at an outdoor party northwest of Salem.
The event, which ran from about midnight to 7 a.m., had carnival lights, day-glow signs and a pulsing, dancing crowd.
It resembled a rave.
But unlike a rave, which is known for illegal drug activity, the party at the horse camp at the 4-H Center northwest of Salem was more about music and dancing than anything else.
A true rave is an illegal event lacking insurance, security or permits. Sunday morning’s party met all the legal requirements.
There have been several of these events in the Salem area in the last four years, but police say they have not heard of any problems associated with them.
Those who filed out of the open-air center Sunday morning were students, employees and parents from all over the Willamette Valley. Most appeared to be in their 20s, but some were as young as 16 and as old as 38.
Their night had started hours earlier at a Salem coffee shop where they paid for an admission wrist band and a map showing the location of the party.
Heather Schwalm, 19, said she and her friends came from Canby for the music and the community.
Instructions led Schwalm and others to the secluded horse camp. Torches lit the path to the three dance floors where several DJs produced a constant flow of rhythm.
Some people twirled flaming balls while others danced with illuminated batons. There were glowing blue bubbles, neon signs and laser lights.
Organizers said drugs were prohibited — fliers specifically instructed people not to bring them. But everything from pot to acid was still accessible.
Like any other event, there will be some people who do that, said co-organizer Katharine Army.
“But if (security) finds them, they do get kicked out,” she said.
She and her two partners have been organizing similar parties around Salem and Eugene for four years. Army said she got into the scene when she discovered that similar parties were a safe place to dance without getting groped like she did at clubs.
The Salem Police Department and the Willamette Valley 911 Center received no complaints about the party.
“Up to this point, Salem has not experienced any problems with raves under the truest sense,” said Lt. Ed Boyd with the Salem Police Department.
He said raves in other areas do hire security, but it’s often lax.
“But I would hate to comment on this one because I don’t have details as far as what the entire party was all about,” he said.
Sixteen-year-old Kassie Olivera and her friend Pamela French were among the younger partygoers. They checked out the fire dancers before driving home to Independence.
Olivera’s stepfather was the one who suggested that the girls go to the dance party, she said.
“He said it was a safe rave, and I’ve never been to one before.”
Salem nursing student Jami Bingham said she came out with friends to listen to good music.
She said a lot of people don’t understand what these parties are all about, but most think they do.
“It’s just a stereotype,” she said. “It happens to every generation.
“Raves are not all like that,” she said, referring to the drug atmosphere at a typical rave.
For Toby Jewett and his crew of fire dancers, the event was clearly about the music and the performance.
The Willamette University physics student organized a fire twirling group of Willamette students called the Alchemists.
“It’s a performing opportunity and a way to express myself in a relatively unique art form,” he said.
On Sunday afternoon, Jewett and his crew had plans to do everything from studying to making a presentation before the Willamette University Finance Board.
They were among the others who sleepily returned to homework, jobs and families on Sunday.
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/
UK: Rave causes £150,000 damage – November 2002 Rave causes £150,000 damage
By This is London - Monday October 28, 2002
Copyright: This is London
As the parent company of non-stop music channel MTV, Viacom Europe is more tolerant than most to loud noise and outrageous behaviour.
But even the executives of Viacom were rattled when a 24-hour rave was held in one of their buildings in Camden. And they were shocked when police seemingly turned a blind eye to the illegal event.
Dwight Tierney, vice-president of Viacom Europe, said: "To say we were stunned by the police reaction is an understatement. Damage estimated at £150,000 was caused to our premises but the police stood by and did nothing.
"We are outraged at the behaviour of the police officials and are appalled at the excuses."
Viacom's troubles came to a head when hundreds of ravers poured into the former headquarters of the company's advertising arm, Viacom Outdoor, in Jamestown Road.
Security staff in their new building nearby alerted the police, who said they would not attend.
More phone calls eventually prompted a lone police officer to investigate but he said there was nothing that could be done.
Mr Tierney said: "We were astonished by the reaction. The police tried to suggest it was simply a noise issue but we pointed out that our office had been broken into, criminal damage was taking place and equipment was being stolen.
"The police fiddled while we, figuratively speaking, were burning. They said they had higher priorities to deal with and just left us to it."
Environmental health officers from Camden council said they had the power to shut down the rave because of the noise but could only act with police support.
Again, Mr Tierney says, the police refused to intervene.
Viacom staff only managed to regain control of the building when the rave petered out, almost 24 hours after it began.
Mr Tierney said: "The scene afterwards was horrible. Partitions and ceilings had been destroyed, carpets ripped up, equipment stolen, graffiti scrawled on the walls and the building used as a toilet. It was an atrocious sight.
"We had been hoping to let out the building to another company but that's no longer possible. When we comto the police they refused to apologise and said if they were faced with the same circumstances again, they would react in the same way. We made dozens of phone calls but were fobbed off with excuse after excuse."
Mr Tierney said the company, which employs 500 people in Camden, was now considering its future in the area. MTV Europe, whose presenters include Cat Deeley and Lisa Snowdon, took over its Camden headquarters in 1993. Mr
Tierney added: "This rave is the culmination of a series of problems we have encountered. We have seen and experienced increasing violence, theft, intimidation and illegal drug activity around our offices, while in June there was a drive-by shooting directly opposite our building."
A spokesman for Scotland Yard said they were only made aware of the rave, which took place earlier this month, once it was under way.
He added: "Every inciplained-dent of this type is dealt with on an individual basis. Although the majority are broken up and the people dispersed, on this occasion it was felt there would be fewer policing problems if we monitored the rave rather than closed it down."
Scotland Yard named Camden as one of London's hot-spots for gun crime involving drug-dealing gangs in a report last year.
http://www.eveningstandard.co.uk/
World: Goa could be a target for Al Qaeda – November 2002 Goa could be a target for Al Qaeda
By reddif.com - October 23, 2002
Copyright: reddif.com
The bomb blast in Bali, Indonesia, that killed more than 180 people on October 13 ought to be an eye-opener for India, considering that Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda may target more such international tourist destinations.
"We have not received anything alarming from the intelligence agencies following the Bali bomb blast," Deputy Inspector General of Police (Goa) Karnal Singh said.
With all its tourist traffic, Goa is considered a soft target for cross-border terrorism. The Hindu-dominated state with a minuscule Muslim population is famous for its sandy beaches and semi-Western culture. The coast, the most popular tourist destination in the state, is predominantly Christian.
Like Bali, Goa has a total population of only 1.3 million while 1.2 million tourists visit it every year, mainly in the peak season from October to January. Already, tourists from all over the world have started flocking to the state.
Along with tourism come all kind of criminal activities, including the illegal sale of drugs, illegally organised rave parties, and even paedophilia rings, mostly in collusion with the local police and politicians.
Over 3,000 Kashmiris also camp in the coastal belt from September to April, selling carpets and such other indigenous products. But with few customers seen at these shops, the police say that selling drugs may be their real profession.
"The terrorists taking advantage of the presence of Kashmiris in Goa cannot be denied," DIG Singh said, but claimed that the police are keeping a watch on them as well as outsiders visiting madrassas (Islamic seminaries) in the state.
In fact, it is not just the Bali incident that should alert Indian intelligence to the need to improve security in Goa. The state has been a target in the past. Two years ago, Deendar Anjuman, an organisation that has since been banned, had organised simultaneous bomb blasts in Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Goa. A bomb was planted outside a church in the port town of Vasco.
Incidentally, bomb hoaxes have also become the order of the day. In recent days, at least five calls were made from public telephone booths that bombs had been planted in the chief minister's car, a village that a central minister from Goa was visiting, at a private bank, Old Goa, and in the Goa Medical College Hospital. "Either it is a cranky person or somebody testing how alert the police is," DIG Singh said.
The officer, however, does not deny that Goa is considered a safe haven for criminals since several robbers and dacoits from Moradabad, Saharanpur, and other such places in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have been found hiding here. "Following the demolition of the Babri Masjid [in December 1992], hundreds of locals from these places had gone to Pakistan. They have now come back after proper military training," he said.
Within a month, the police are to begin organised patrolling by forming beats. The personnel on the beat will move from house to house, informing people that they will be available for any eventuality. Besides serving the people, the police expect this move to help them improve their intelligence network. In fact, Singh said, this is the best way to tackle terrorism, as terrorists always depend on local contacts.
http://www.rediff.com/index.html
UK: Urban farming ‘like war zone’ – November 2002 Urban farming 'like war zone'
By BBC news - Monday, 21 October, 2002
Copyright: BBC news
Farming on the edge of towns and cities is like working in a "war zone", according to hundreds of farmers trying to make a living on the urban fringe.
Prostitution, joy-riding and illegal raves were just some of the problems encountered, according to a survey of 2,000 farmers published on Monday.
Some 32,000 farms in England and Wales now operate on the edges of towns and cities.
The National Farmers Union (NFU) says that for many urban farms the problems of close proximity to highly populated areas make for tough and unique challenges.
Unexpected problems
Almost 70% suffer from fly-tipping - the dumping of industrial and domestic waste on farmland - while a third have problems with travellers camping on their land.
Joy-riding is a common headache, with almost half of respondents - 43% - complaining of the menace.
NFU environment chairman John Seymour said: "Many farmers on the edges of towns and cities sometimes feel it is like working in a war zone.
"They report a grim list of problems from vandalism to prostitution that you wouldn't expect to find in the countryside."
The NFU intends to lobby national and local government for a number of measures, including more visible policing.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/
US: Ravers make their return – October 2002 Ravers make their return
By JSO- October 15th 2002
Copyright: JSO
In their first appearance en masse in a city that all but ran them out of town a decade ago, ravers brought their all-night dance party back to Milwaukee on Saturday.
In classic rave form, about 1,000 partyers learned of the "secret" location by calling a hotline just hours before festivities started. But once they figured out where to go, the ravers descended on the three-story Menomonee Valley warehouse that houses Trounce Records, a retail store and independent record label at 422 N. 15th St.
And while the typical heavy bass techno beats, colorful clothing and New Age flower-child vibe abounded, conspicuously absent was the highly visible drug use that marred these types of events in the past. Police made no drug arrests, although there were indications that at least some of those present indulged in illegal drugs.
Efforts were made to discourage drug use, said 25-year-old Ryan Clancy, the "Regroup" party's head promoter and owner of Trounce Records.
Clancy wanted to avoid a repeat of the Oct. 31, 1992, "Halloween Grave Rave," the infamous and perhaps the last of the large-scale raves in Milwaukee, until this weekend. Hundreds were arrested for illegal drug use and possession when Milwaukee police raided the Grave Rave.
Since then, any Wisconsin resident craving a traditional warehouse rave has had to travel to Fond du Lac, Madison, Chicago and Rockford, Ill., among other places.
Clancy was aware of the high-profile shutdown in May of raves in Madison's Alliant Energy Center, following reports of blatant Ecstasy use at the parties.
"The fact is, raves have really taken a big hit for some high-profile negative things in just a few places," Clancy said. "I tell people all the time that most of these parties are about dancing to good music with good people.
"We've been thinking for some time that we wanted to bring the rave, the big warehouse party, back to Milwaukee County. But we wanted to do it right, in a safe building that was up to code, with good security and people who wanted to dance, not pass drugs."
Police presence
Nonetheless, Milwaukee police took no chances. They made two visits - from about 10:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m and again from about 3 a.m. to 4 a.m. - to the Trounce building to inspect the facility, lecture Clancy on general safety issues, and poke around for Ecstasy and other drugs often found at raves.
In the end, the officers left the party admitting to Clancy and his security staff that they hadn't seen anything out of line.
To Laura Ross, 20, the evening was a perfect opportunity to say, "I told you so."
Ross, a "candy kid" who goes by "Aurora" at rave parties, drove with several friends from the Indianapolis area to attend the Trounce party. She gladly paid the admission price of a $14.99 CD purchase and a canned food for charity.
"Candy kids" are the peaceniks of the rave scene who tend to identify themselves by the ropes of candy jewelry wrapped around their arms and necks. Dancing to the beats of DJ 2 Tru, Ross said that their message is simple: "peace, love, unity and respect . . . whoever you are."
Terry Christensen, 19, likes to think of himself as a "normal raver."
"You won't see me in crazy clothes or popping pills or doing any other drug like that," he said. "I'm not saying the kids in the clothes are doing that stuff . . . even though we know some are. But I'm kinda like them in that I'm mostly just here for the music. Listen to it. It's great. But if we're gonna do anything bad, I'd guess a lot of us probably drank (alcohol) before we got here."
For all of the cheer and good feelings, not everyone at the party got the no-drug memo.
In one corner of the makeshift dance floor on the building's third-story was the unmistakable odor of marijuana.
Carissa Cornwell, 22, said she used to indulge in party drugs but cleaned up her act after a close friend overdosed. For the past few years, Cornwell has been traveling the state to different raves as a representative of Dance Safe, a San Francisco-based drug education group.
A common presence at raves in many cities now, Dance Safe representatives offer to test on the spot any pill a curious raver brings to them at a party.
They test for several drugs, she said.
If the presence of any of those drugs is found, the representatives explain to the raver how they can affect a person.
"It's up to them after that, but we want them to be aware of what is in this stuff before they just swallow it," Cornwell said. "We're not the police, but we want people to make the right decision."
Four ravers asked that their pills be tested Saturday night.
Clancy said this weekend's rave should bode well for future dance parties in the city.
"No one was hurt, no one was arrested, and we collected at least 1,000 canned goods for a food bank," he said. "It was a party. Let's hope this means more to come."
http://www.jsonline.com/
UK: Five freed on bail after illegal rave – October 2002 Five freed on bail after illegal rave
By EADT - October 15th 2002
Copyright: EADT
FIVE people have been released on police bail after being arrested in connection with drug offences following an illegal 10-hour rave.
They were arrested as 1,000 revellers packed into a warehouse on the old Shawlands site on the Chilton Industrial Estate in Sudbury on Saturday night.
A 19-year-old man from Diss was questioned and was later released on police bail until December 1.
Four men aged 19, 21, 24 and 25 from Bury St Edmunds and Rougham, who were also arrested on suspicion of drugs offences, were given police bail until November 16.
Suffolk police were called to the party, which took place without prior notice to the relevant authorities, after several complaints from residents about noise.
Although the revellers who attended the rave, which began at 10pm on Saturday and lasted until 8am on Sunday, were generally well-behaved, some people have been left concerned over safety issues.
Sudbury county councillor Nick Irwin said: “Although they might be fun, there are health and safety factors to consider. Nightclubs have trained staff who can search people for weapons and look out for drugs.”
A Suffolk police spokesman said their investigations were continuing to trace the organisers of the illegal rave.
“We did receive a number of complaints about noise and we have now released the five people who were arrested on suspicion of drug-related offences on police bail,” he added.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.YesNoPrivacy policy
You can revoke your consent any time using the Revoke consent button.Revoke cookies
