Illegal rave-goers stage police demo

Seb Ramsay

February 04, 2007

| Submit Comments | Comments (24) | Previous | Next

ABOUT 150 people gathered in Manchester to complain over their treatment by police who used dogs to break up an illegal rave. Demonstrators carried banners, flags and drums for the noisy but peaceful protest outside Urbis.

A 20ft-wide banner carried by several protesters read: "Stop police brutality against innocent free party people. Catch real criminals."

The M.E.N. reported how police with dogs broke up the unofficial party on Saturday, January 20. Between 500 and 1,000 revellers were moved out of a disused car showroom in Belle Vue, Manchester.

Bricks were thrown at a paramedic's car and a man was taken to hospital after being bitten by a police dog. Scores of partygoers contacted the M.E.N. following the clash alleging police brutality.

But Greater Manchester Police said officers followed recognised methods where there was a risk of serious trouble and acted `proportionately'.

A 22-year-old woman who threw a can of beer at a policeman during the incident, was last week sentenced to 120 hours' community service by city magistrates after admitting assault.

Record label owner David Davies, 36, who was at the party, said: "It was as if the police who came were pumped up to deal with football fans. They were confronted by a load of young kids who just wanted a party.

"I've been involved in the free party scene for 15 years and it was the worst example I've ever seen of police going over the top. People shouldn't have to put up with treatment like that."

Following the event, there were a number of complaints to the watchdog Independent Police Complaints Commission.

A GMP spokesman said the protest on Saturday had passed off without event.

| Submit Comments | Comments (24) | Previous | Next

Showing comments 1 to 24 and replies | View All

Chris, SK14 (04/02/2007 at 16:54)

"Stop police brutality against innocent free party people. Catch real criminals."
Next sentence........bricks were thrown at a paramedics car.........a young thug threw a can of beer in a policemans face........sound like criminals to me,get a life and protest about real issues like poverty and the third world, not dropping e's in scaggy old warehouse.

Peter Jones, Hannover.Germany (04/02/2007 at 17:51)

The Police!should have used water Cannons and Tear gas.

pseudonym, manchester (04/02/2007 at 20:29)

What Chris has to realise is that there are criminals taking part in poverty rallies as well as police brutality protests. What Chris also has to realise is that by trivialising the protest by comparing it to a poverty rally is a step away from democracy - something that you will be clinging to when we're dropping E's in every other warehouse.

davo, sydney (04/02/2007 at 22:24)

aciiiiiiiiiiid

phil, manchester (04/02/2007 at 23:22)

Its a shame they don't protest about the continuing poverty in the 3rd world or do something charitable or help out in a night shelter for the homeless, but I suppose they are total 'no brainers' where the world stops at the junction of Hyde Road and Alan Turing Way!
Get a life will you, sad sad sad people.

clare, manchester (05/02/2007 at 07:18)

well said chris:)

Arthur, Rochdale (05/02/2007 at 09:33)

Sounds like the police(sp) thought they could go in, use their brains(oxymoron) and get away with being fungus like on young people because they wouldn't complain.

Sandra, Chorlton (05/02/2007 at 11:53)

My daughter turned up to dance and witnessed aggression by police that was unneccessary. Is it usual for the police to remove their badge numbers before wading in. I would testify that my daughter and her good friends are non-aggressive pacifists and stood
by and watched in disbelief. Lets not encourage our young law abiding citizens to be fearful of our protectors (the police)

Carly, Rusholme (05/02/2007 at 12:09)

How exactly do people know that the people involved dont also protest about third world poverty etc? Because many (including myself) do. The free party scene is the entertainment side of life for a very large group of people whose lives are dedicated to supporting freedom and equality across the world, including freedom from povery, oppression, racism, and police brutality. Categorising the people at this party as "mindless thugs" is both childish and ignorant - how dare you judge such a large group of people without meeting them? All partygoers are drugged up idiots, all gays spread AIDS, all blacks are criminals; arent pigeonholes handy? Form your own judgements by meeting people and finding out the truth instead of reverting to cliche and prejudice and living in a cosy, unthreatening world where people can be simplistically categorised to stop you having to actually think for yourself.

Carly, Rusholme (05/02/2007 at 12:13)

Oh and by the way if people actually bothered to find out the truth about people rather than believing everything they hear and resorting to prejudice and assumption, you would know that the organisers of the party were extremely unhappy about the person who attacked the ambulance and have described him in no nonsense terms on their websites, and have even organised a collection to donate to the ambulance service to apologise for this idiot's behaviour. But of course you wont know this as it doesnt enforce your preconceptions does it?

Chris, Stretford (05/02/2007 at 13:57)

I attend these free parties and was indeed at this one and just to confirm for all these small minded stereotypical people the police went berserk and I haven't even seen it that bad on football match days when it certainly might get violent on regular occasions, or even at the Glazer sit down protest which the police also felt necassary to strike anyone who was within reach! And yes at the party the police were hiding their badges - what does this tell you! They should concentrate on more pressing issues like the kids down the road in Moss Side shooting each other all day!
Up yours 'Great' Britain - The Great Police State!

Rant Over
Peace
x

The Minx, Manchester (05/02/2007 at 13:59)

Well the attack on both the police and paramedics says it all! These so-called rave events' are from the 80's and, as far as I'm concerned they can jolly well stay there! ha
Accciiiiiid! (Not) ;)

Lindsey, Gorton (05/02/2007 at 16:41)

Lets all think about something else other than the police, my elderly Mum & Dad live close by and were petrified by what was going on. I got a phone call from my Mum (after she had called the police) to say she was scared because there were people climbing over the walls on her street to avoid the police trying to get to this "illegal party". Their little avenue is full of elderly residents, have any of you caring, law abiding party goers thought about the effect you had on people like my Mum & Dad, are any of you going to say sorry for the sleepless nights they've had since, thinking you're coming back, Somehow I don't think so!

Jake Long, www.pledgebank.com/MancCCharge (05/02/2007 at 17:27)

You can expect a lot more illegal raves when the smoking ban kicks in.

eytan, manchester (05/02/2007 at 20:25)

Here's a few words from someone who actually does know better. a) There is no question that the police reacted innapropriately, nor is there any question that the guy who smashed the ambulance window is a complete idiot. b) Not all ravers are on drugs. Get over the acid and E thing, yeah? c) The people who attend free parties are (generally) intelligent, politically aware individuals who DO stage protests against "real" issues, this newspaper didn't stick about to see us take the protest all the way to Bootle Street, via Market Street, Portland Street and the Town Hall, nor was there a mention of the table we set up with free information and independant news publications.
The only thing in question now is whether we get to carry on partying. Manchester's media hasn't afforded the party culture of Manchester much credit outside of lazy comparisons to a long dead "scene", until now. We are a movement, and thank you to the MEN for covering our side of the story too, especially at court and at the Urbis- You'll be hearing more of us. Hopefully the focus will be on us having done something positive, instead of the focus being on violence, regardless of where the blame lies. Send rave hate-mail to me...

Kel, Manc (05/02/2007 at 20:43)

Yeh the organisers were not at all happy with the people who threw cans and started a riot.

We aint all like that!
Lots of free pasrties have gone unraided and they have mostly all turned okay the police started it!

Children as young as 13 go there, and they saw the brutal force the police used.

WELL OUT OF ORDER
so people who look at this article and think that we are thugs, we are just down for a good time.
if i see a person throwing a brick at an ambulance, i ll push them under it !

keeley brooks, ashton -u -lyne (05/02/2007 at 22:17)

I am bemused by all these sheep demanding the right to be free and have a good time if self abuse is having a good time then freedom should be denied.
Successive generations are targetted by the 'entertainment industry' it actively encourages excess all areas and damm the consequences.
I firmly believe that the industry should be forced to clean up its act and that includes any section of the media that in anyway glamourizes and advocates self destruct. what kind of message are they inflicting upon society?

Fight for the right to party, Manchester (06/02/2007 at 12:03)

right well to all those people who are going on about the paramedics windoow being smashed . money is being or has been raised to pay the costs of that and to whomever it was who said why dont we protest about poverty, because we dont experience it and we dont feel that strongly about it. the protest was really good no one kicked off and i personally think we got our message across.

7501, Northwich (06/02/2007 at 14:34)

Let's get this right. These raves are gatherings of idiots, often in dangerous, condemned buildings where anarchy is the rule. They often hijack nearby electricity supplies when then have no genorators. Who cleans up after them. Most of them are pondlife who could do with a bath.

Nick, Manchester (07/02/2007 at 02:34)

In response to phil, from what I've heard there was going to be a political cinema.. surely that can only be commended?

Anthony, Accrington,Lancashire (07/02/2007 at 10:43)

Kids who illegally break into premises and hold unlicensed unofficial events deserve all the punishment police forces across the UK mete out. I'm sorry but I don't hold sympathy for young people who do this;they're in the wrong NOT THE POLICE

Billy, Ramsbottom (07/02/2007 at 14:06)

Not an unlicensed, unofficial event! The horror! Let's hope the police batter these ruffians to a pulp, it's the only language they understand. Any breach of any law should be met with the same zero-tolerance approach, it's the only way they'll learn.

Michelle, Longsight (07/02/2007 at 14:26)

I have a few points to make in response to some of the narrow minded comments from people who really haven't got a clue about the rave scene or any of the people involved in it:
1) 99% of partygoers are peaceful, friendly people who just want to have a good time. People trying to cause trouble at raves usually get delt with very quickly by everyone else and chucked out. we don't stand for it.
2) These raves are not as illegal as people think. Firstly the venues are often squatted for a while before the party, this is completely legal and the squatters are protected under the squatters rights legislation. (the venue in belle vue had been squatted and the police broke in without a warrent which breaches these rights so was illegal).
Also if the venue is a squat anyway and its free entry (which it usually is) the party is classed as private (like a party in someones house) so the only legal implications would be due to the volume level of the music.
3)No one is making money from putting on these parties, in fact the people who organise them usually spend money getting the rigs etc there. This is the real reason these parties are illegal, not because thier dangerous.
4)People come to raves because theyre much better than all of the expensive clubs and other places to go out. The musics better, the atmosphere is better, the people are nicer and its alot cheaper.
5)People who go to raves and take drugs are not idiots, or scum or any of the other things people have said. We are normal people. Most of us work during the week like everyone else, and at the end of it just want to have some fun.
6)The so called 'self abuse' of people at raves doesn't even compare to a friday or saturday night in manchester.
The people i see every weekend staggering about in manchester, being sick, starting fights etc look alot less healthy than people at raves on drugs. (but i guess thats ok cos its legal and lots of money is made in taxes from alcohol sales, even though it kills more people than all the illegal drugs put together).

Lyndsey, Wigan (09/02/2007 at 23:20)

To those of you who are basing your views of the underground party scene merely upon articles, news stories and recreations you've seen on '999' and Neighbours, I suggest you take ten minutes out of your life to educate yourselves on a subject you know nothing about. Such action is what any person of at least moderate intelligence would do regarding any subject before engaging in a moral debate. We can, will and do fight and stand for our beliefs on a daily basis, both as individuals and collectively within society. If you believe that a full scale riot on the streets of Manchester on a Saturday night was the answer to a party being held in a confined building then you are clearly 'educated' by the state, and severely misinformed, or bloodthirsty, you make the distinction. Gatherings of like minded people is the basis of community within society, and fighting against it will only serve to cause a rift between the targeted and the accusers. We're at a point where this can go one way or another.... tolerance of underground parties or a complete and active revolt to shut them down. Choose wisely - solidarity is the single most required essence right now. Free speech, movement and action.

()

Report

News