Police break up illegal rave in Herefordshire

Police broke up revellers at an illegal rave in Dorstone, Herefordshire over the weekend.

• READ MORE: NME Investigates — the rise of illegal raves

According to the BBC, people travelled as far as from Cambridge, Portsmouth and London for the event that saw 150 people in attendance on Saturday (April 3).

West Mercia Police said it issued a Section 63 dispersal order under the Criminal Justice Public Order Act to break-up some of the ravers, who were still there early on Sunday morning (April 4).

Annette Jones, whose farm was next to the site where the rave occurred, told the BBC there had been “non-stop cars, people, music” throughout Saturday evening.

Superintendent Ed Williams said the force received several reports about “the number of people gathered in Dorstone, as well as loud noise”.

Whilst some were compliant after police asked the attendees to leave “as per current lockdown regulations”, other did not. Williams said it then “became necessary to issue the Section 63 order in order to disperse the remaining members of the public”.

“I am pleased to say that we were able to clear the area in a calm and peaceful way,” he added.

Police have reported hundreds of illegal gatherings since restrictions came into place with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said last year: “These gatherings are dangerous and those who organise them show a blatant disregard for the safety of others.”

She continued: “We will continue to crack down on the small minority who think they are above the law.”

During last year’s lockdown in June, thousands of people attended two illegal raves in Greater Manchester during which a 20-year-old man died from a suspected overdose, a woman was raped and three people were stabbed.

More events followed, with an illegal event of more than 3,000 people taking place in Bath in July, and others in Birmingham, Leeds and London followed throughout the summer months.

Experts had previously warned that England could experience a wave of illegal raves over the summer as the coronavirus lockdown was eased.

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