• Disrupting Power Since 2015
  • Donate
  • Login
Friday, May 23, 2025
  • Login
  • Register
Canary
MEDIA THAT DISRUPTS
  • News
    • UK
    • Global
    • Analysis
    • Trending
  • Editorial
  • Features
    • Features
    • Environment
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Money
    • Science
    • Business
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Sport & Gaming
  • Media
    • Video
    • Cartoons
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
MANAGE SUBSCRIPTION
SUPPORT
  • News
    • UK
    • Global
    • Analysis
    • Trending
  • Editorial
  • Features
    • Features
    • Environment
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Money
    • Science
    • Business
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Sport & Gaming
  • Media
    • Video
    • Cartoons
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
Canary
No Result
View All Result

Were police tactics to blame for Halloween rave riot? (Video)

Emily Apple by Emily Apple
16 August 2017
in UK
Reading Time: 3 mins read
169 3
A A
0
Home UK
320
SHARES
2.5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The media is whipping itself into a frenzy over ravers allegedly attacking police officers, following the operation to close down the ‘Scumowe’en’ rave in London. However, serious questions must be raised as to whether the police contributed to the situation in a way that made violence inevitable.

Problems arose after the police decided to shut down the party, blocking off roads, and trying to prevent people getting into the rave. According to Guardian Cities correspondent, Bradley Garrett, who was present, “about 500 people got into the event, and then the police started closing the street.”

He further stated:

They turned up in full riot gear and created a huge bottleneck. There must have been 1000 people trying to get in. The police turned aggressive very fast.

According to organisers, the police were “bashing people senseless”, one person was bitten by a police dog, and police ignored all attempts at negotiation.

This is also backed up by Bradley Garrett who said:

People were trying to rationalise with them, saying it’s better to let people in, otherwise this is going to create a mess in the neighbourhood.

This video shows one person being hit with a police baton as the crowd tries to run through the police lines, even though he is not being violent.

Video Player
https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/660605437549666304/pu/vid/1280x720/vE1MvxpSkSBjhz6k.mp4
00:00
00:00
00:00
Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.

There is no doubt people fought back, throwing missiles, including planks of wood and a fire extinguisher. However, whilst it is easy to dismiss and condemn these people as “an angry mob“, it is worth pausing to consider how you would feel if you had just witnessed your friend being beaten with a baton, or bitten by a dog, just for trying to get to a party.

Raves are illegal under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, but there have to be concerns about whether the police response was proportionate and whether these scenes in Lambeth were avoidable. Bradley Garrett thinks so:

It seemed to me the easiest solution would have been to let people go into a building to contain it. It was certainly badly handled.

In the worse case scenario, this was a manufactured policing operation, designed to instigate a public order situation, needed by a police force desperate to defend itself against cuts. At best, it was an ill-conceived, bungled operation, which put lives in danger in the name of health and safety. Either way, instead of blindly criticising the rioters, we should firstly be demanding clearer and more honest answers from the police.

Featured image via Dominic Simpson

Share128Tweet80
Previous Post

Twitter users busted Cameron committing a cringeworthy act of Photoshop patriotism (Tweets)

Next Post

How the cancer risk of processed meat was wildly exaggerated in the media

Next Post
How the cancer risk of processed meat was wildly exaggerated in the media

How the cancer risk of processed meat was wildly exaggerated in the media

JK Rowling’s support for Israeli ‘Death Eaters’ called out by Palestinian fan’s brilliant letter

JK Rowling's support for Israeli 'Death Eaters' called out by Palestinian fan's brilliant letter

jeremy Corbyn says 'No More War'.

Media hysteria: Look who is trying to twist Corbyn's words this time

This billionaire says capitalism won’t solve the climate crisis

This billionaire says capitalism won’t solve the climate crisis

‘Crack and Cider’ to help the homeless

'Crack and Cider' to help the homeless

Arsenal Mark Bonnick
Analysis

Arsenal being sued by former kit man over his sacking for pro-Palestine tweets

by Maryam Jameela
23 May 2025
Jeremy Corbyn
Opinion

What could a new party Jeremy Corbyn mentioned look like? Well, here are some clues.

by Jamie Driscoll
23 May 2025
DWP PIP MS
Analysis

Thanks to the DWP, nearly half of people with MS have had to quit their jobs

by Steve Topple
23 May 2025
DWP Home Responsibilities Protection eligibility compensation
Analysis

DWP is failing to compensate yet another group of women over a pensions scandal

by Steve Topple
23 May 2025
7 Tips to Get Started with Crypto Gaming
Sport & Gaming

7 Tips to Get Started with Crypto Gaming

by Nathan Spears
23 May 2025
  • Contact
  • About & FAQ
  • Get our Daily News Email
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy

The Canary
PO Box 71199
LONDON
SE20 9EX

Canary Media Ltd – registered in England. Company registration number 09788095.

For guest posting, contact ben@thecanary.co

For other enquiries, contact: hello@thecanary.co

The Canary is owned and run by independent journalists and volunteers, NOT offshore billionaires.

You can write for us, or support us by making a regular or one-off donation.

© Canary Media Ltd 2024, all rights reserved | Website by Monster | Hosted by Krystal | Privacy Settings

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • UK
    • Global
    • Analysis
    • Trending
  • Editorial
  • Features
    • Features
    • Environment
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Money
    • Science
    • Business
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Sport & Gaming
  • Media
    • Video
    • Cartoons
  • Opinion

© 2023 Canary - Worker's co-op.

Before you go, have you seen...?

Arsenal Mark Bonnick
Analysis
Maryam Jameela

Arsenal being sued by former kit man over his sacking for pro-Palestine tweets

Jeremy Corbyn
Opinion
Jamie Driscoll

What could a new party Jeremy Corbyn mentioned look like? Well, here are some clues.

DWP PIP MS
Analysis
Steve Topple

Thanks to the DWP, nearly half of people with MS have had to quit their jobs

DWP Home Responsibilities Protection eligibility compensation
Analysis
Steve Topple

DWP is failing to compensate yet another group of women over a pensions scandal

ADVERTISEMENT
Analysis
Nathan Spears

Vote for the Press Photograph of the Year 2024

Image by Burkard Meyendriesch from Pixabay
Feature
Nathan Spears

Why Santiago Ways is the Leading Choice for Walking the Camino de Santiago

Environment
Nathan Spears

EU elections point to growing public desire for new policymaking approach in Brussels