Elonka wrote:
If it was shut down because police observed actual illegal drug activity, that's one thing, and I'm okay with it.

Really? If the police observed actual illegal drug activity you'd argue that it would have been reasonable for them to do what they did: Bring a SWAT team dressed in combat fatigues and body armor and equiped with a helicopter, dogs, and "special weapons" and shut the whole party down and send everyone home or to jail?

If so, I don't agree.

It seems clear that the police would never shut down a corporate sponsored rock concert in such a manner, but would prefer instead to simply arrest individual drug users with regular uniformed police. That is, if they decided to do anything at all. I've seen many raves shut down but I've never seen a real police officer arresting people for drug violations at an industry concert venue.

It seems like the use of a SWAT team is inappropriate with regard to a party regardless of the circumstances. Its use in this context is entirely to intimidate. Its an unreasonable use of force. You don't pull people over on the freeway using a tank.

Its likely that the permit issue and the fact that security guards at the event were confiscating drugs ultimately put the rave promoters on very strong footing with regard to legal action against the police. However, IMHO these issues draw attention from the real problem here, and that is not whether or not the police should have responded but HOW the police responded.

RE: Can Police Shut Down a Rave for what *Might* be Happening There?