international news _ 21st September, 2006

UK Rave Wars- the Battle Intensifies

Text by Jonty Skrufff (Skrufff.com)

Littlehampton police issued a letter to a free party organiser this week warning him that he’ll receive an ASBO (anti-social behaviour order) if he hosts any more parties and also seized a soundsystem as revellers tried to set up an event in Blakehurst, near Arundel.

Local residents reportedly spotted unusual vehicles in the area last Saturday night and called the cops, who busted the party before any music was played.

“The people who selfishly set up these raves do so because they think they have a right to party where they want, but they don't,” inspector Mark Hammond told local newspaper the Littlehampton Gazette,

"We have a good intelligence system being developed, complemented by the sophisticated Farm Watch system being used by the police, dedicated local neighbourhood specialist team officers working in the community,” he added.

“And an active Rave Watch working group with the local farms and landowners."

In more rave crackdown news, three revellers who were caught up in a violent police raid on an outdoor party near Saffron Walden on the Bank Holiday weekend, accused police of over-reacting at a local police community consultation meeting.

“How can you justify sending 200 police officers to a field where people are listening to music? There was no need for riot police to come in and start beating people,” Sam Tuxworth, 22, told District Commander Graham Stubbs, adding that some ravers had been attacked when trying to help girls who’d fallen during the raid.

"I have been to raves 10 times the size of that and I have never seen that many police going in that heavy-handed. There was not a riot until the riot police turned up,” he added.

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