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Post RAVE act, post PATRIOT act America | MetaFilter
by Rattle at 6:40 pm EDT, Aug 22, 2005 |
Krick of Evol Intent offers a firsthand account of the events that took place at a party that he was scheduled to play August 20th in Utah. The event was fully licensed, fully legal, and non-violent. Halfway through the party, authorities arrived in full riot gear and ended the event like a full-scale riot (tear gas, attack dogs, and assault rifles). One attendee managed to escape with actual video footage of the shutdown. Another DJ at the event who goes by Syne offers her own account of the same event, and the Utah Raves forum is lit up like a switchboard. Lawsuits are pending...
(via Metafilter) This story is making the rounds today. This is pretty disturbing. The facts floating around don't appears to jive with each other. The various accounts state that the promoters did have a permit from the county, an insurance policy covering the event, and professional security guards confiscating any drugs found at the gates. These accounts also say that upon being shown the permit, the authorities on the scene simply ripped it up. They forced everyone to leave, including the person who owns the property. Other accounts say different, such as this one from Utah's Daily Herald: The Utah County Sheriff's Office said in addition to all the illegal activity at the rave, the promoter failed to obtain a permit, bond and approval of the County Commission. The county's mass gathering ordinance -- created in recent years to control events like rave parties -- prohibits gatherings of 250 more people without county approval.
So did the promoters have the proper permits? In that article, there are all the other accounts you'd expect. They found drugs. They had a few young girls on hand who were sexually assaulted at prior events. The normal stuff. Keep in mind, I don't think there has been any event entailing rock or electronic music that has not involved drugs, alcohol, and sexual misconduct. Its par for the course when you bring together 2,000 people for a party. It sounds like this crowd was pretty peaceful. Its not like they hired the Hell's Angels to do security or anything... Straight to the obvious question.. What happened to the right to assemble? Is that limited to football games and church rallies now? This link to the video being shot on the stage at the point the show was shutdown appears too be working. More details about this are desired... |
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RE: Post RAVE act, post PATRIOT act America | MetaFilter
by Decius at 9:42 am EDT, Aug 23, 2005 |
Rattle wrote: Krick of Evol Intent offers a firsthand account of the events that took place at a party that he was scheduled to play August 20th in Utah. The event was fully licensed, fully legal, and non-violent. Halfway through the party, authorities arrived in full riot gear and ended the event like a full-scale riot (tear gas, attack dogs, and assault rifles).
This link to the video being shot on the stage at the point the show was shutdown appears too be working. More details about this are desired...
Google news has some coverage. So does Wikinews. Mostly the police seem to be loosing the early PR battle on this one. I imagine the video is the reason why. Also the blogosphere is putting the information in front of a lot of eyes who wouldn't otherwise see it. For years police in various communities have played the "tear gas and riot gear" approach to shutting raves down, and mostly the press has ignored the rumor mill of drugged out teenagers in favor of the perspectives of the local soccer moms. This time there is proof and alternative media. Its really hard to say that it makes sense to send people into a party dressed like Marines. The tactic is obviously designed to intimidate people. I hope they find the backlash similarly intimidating. |
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RE: Post RAVE act, post PATRIOT act America | MetaFilter
by skullaria at 11:33 am EDT, Aug 23, 2005 |
Rattle wrote: Krick of Evol Intent offers a firsthand account of the events that took place at a party that he was scheduled to play August 20th in Utah. The event was fully licensed, fully legal, and non-violent. Halfway through the party, authorities arrived in full riot gear and ended the event like a full-scale riot (tear gas, attack dogs, and assault rifles).
This link to the video being shot on the stage at the point the show was shutdown appears too be working. More details about this are desired...
Google news has some coverage. So does Wikinews. Mostly the police seem to be loosing the early PR battle on this one. I imagine the video is the reason why. Also the blogosphere is putting the information in front of a lot of eyes who wouldn't otherwise see it. For years police in various communities have played the "tear gas and riot gear" approach to shutting raves down, and mostly the press has ignored the rumor mill of drugged out teenagers in favor of the perspectives of the local soccer moms. This time there is proof and alternative media. Its really hard to say that it makes sense to send people into a party dressed like Marines. The tactic is obviously designed to intimidate people. I hope they find the backlash similarly intimidating. When are the American people going to WAKE UP???? THe war on drugs is nothing but a WAR on the American people. It is a war on OUR KIDS. You don't treat diabetics this way, why do you treat recreational drug users this way? Drugs are a health problem, not a criminal problem. They only become a criminial problem IF YOU MAKE THEM that, and you make them that ONLY to imprison the free that you don't LIKE. |
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