Party Vibe

Seems like a sensible outcome TBH. Again there is no way people can expect a local community to sit back and let others invade their area uninvited, but draconian penalties aren’t the answer…

The issues with drugs and violence are common to both licensed and unlicensed vents, so the main extra problem large unlicensed outdoor raves cause is extra litter / environmental contamination.

if the community service is tidying up the neighbourhood that seems like a fair enough punishment. yes its a bit unfair a few are being punished for the actions of many others but thats unfortunately what happens a lot of the time, often the crew end up having to clear away whilst everyone else fucks off..

As the Police in this case actively participated in letting the vehicles on site (albeit having no other safe option!) I’m hardly suprised some of the Court case collapsed and it wasn’t possible to justify harder penalties. with the Eastern one the crews were given a chance to leave but were stubborn and ignored it.

its good all the kit is back but does still mean the ravers got off on a number of legal technicalities rather than genuine local tolerance of the events (as then the cops wouldn’t have bothered turning up in such number at all!)

from my experience of the 1990s and a Tory government forcing the cops and other authorities to do more with less, I don’t think there will actually be that many massive large scale riots/busts of illegal raves – the focus will shift to real intelligence-led policing with the harshest action targeted directly at those individuals who are brazenly organising big raves and who are selling drugs or not in permanent employment…

much of the extra police resources (particularly the aviation) came from an English constabulary who may have been following this event for other reasons than licensing issues.

the cops do know who is involved but at present they leave folk alone provided they have a normal day job, that they know when to stop, are not involved in other criminality (drugs/theft/fraud) and otherwise don’t take the piss. Otherwise even more of my friends would be in prison!

@Minghead 405073 wrote:

its that good ol phrase innit – ” where your teachers, your bus drivers, your lawyers, your students, your builders”

True but the results of surveillance still have to confirm this (and the cops know better how to check) before people get more lenient treatment..

I thought what happened some people locally were overly harsh but I still reckon if one of them had had a regular job and the other was going up to uni to study something like accountancy or law rather than music technology they would both have walked free even from Crown Court, albeit maybe with a fine and some community service – thats the way society works unfortunately

Also as the economy gets worse people will guard land/buildings harder if they have any planned use for them and there is a growing trend inspired by squatters etc to re-use disused buildings for legal/tolerated art and community projects..

there actually was a farm type place in South Wales they used to have events on (legal and there weren’t even loads of security / cops either, a dude I know from Wales went there!) but people disrespected the neighourhood/environment too much so they have had to stop the events..