Shouldn't Police Be Ethical Too?

[WordVirus23]

"There was a big jungle/dnb party in Salt Lake City, Utah this weekend that got raided with guys in combat fatigues. They used tazers, attack dogs, physical violence, tear gas, everything. People had AK-47s pressed to their heads. The promoters had gone out of their way to do this party legit with permits, fees, security staff, drug searches, etcetera, but none of that mattered.

There is plenty of word going round on the utah messagebaord: www.utrave.org

Knick of Evol Intent was there. Here is his account of what happened:
http://www.404audio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14814

Though they confiscated most of the cameras to cover their tracks, here is some video footage that got loose:
http://slcdnb.com/versus.mov
http://gruwelijk.com/~oxymoron/facism.wmv

People are posting their stories on this thread at utrave:
http://forums.utrave.org/showthread.php?t=20020

Wikinews has an excellent assesment, pics, and collections of relevant links (as always) here:
http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Dance_party_broken_up_by_police_in_US_state_of_Uta h

Send your well worded and polite messages of disgust to:

Utah County Government:
100 East Center, Suite 2200
Provo, UT 84606

Or call:
(801) 851-8600

Or email at:
ucadm.utahcnty@state.ut.us

[vjrei]

I am so incredible sorry about that!

In my country (Venezuela) the police stopped to invade the rave paryes after they realized how dangerous was to therat some one under some drug... and I am talking about a 3rd world country back in 1997.

You know what?

I am going to call the 1-801-number!!!!

[videobrian]

lame. that's some over-reaction huh.

[simot]

czechtek recently and now this. :(

[videobrian]

wiki link didn't work

[vjrei]

They transfered me to the Utah Jail!!!

I am pressing #8 now...

bussy signal!

I'm calling again...

Now all lines are bussy at the same 800

Ok, the lady transfered me gaing to the sheriff office...

I get the menu again. I choose Spanish before now I am choosing English...

I choose 8 again... and is ringing...

A lady put me on hold for a minute...

BTW, the first operator knew about the "weekend event"

I'm on hold now...

I am going to ask "what happened during the weekend"

(I wish I could record this conversation)

Ok, I have been on hold for 30 minutes now.

I am calling again... to the 801 number...

Now they transfered me to another lady and thsi one told me that I should call to the Salt Lake City offoce because this is another county and they had their own "party" too. She was very nice and that was it.

___

So, in my experience I assume there is zero tolerance about drugs and all that.

Then, the mayor may have a complain not for parents but from the owners of the clubs and bars in that area because theyr are loosing their clients. That is how it actually works.

The owners of the clubs make the complain days before about some rave party. The reality is that this parties are making them to loose their profits. Be sure the mayor or (some one) is receiving some money for this as well.

That is a mafia actually, that is why there are no permits or anything worth it.

About the National Guard... thanx God I wasn't there, I eat NG for breakfast every morning, specially Venezuelans ones.

[Ollie]

Thats unbeliveable, i'm actually really upset by the whole affair, and my heart goes out to all those involved, as well as people from Utah, and Americans as a whole. Its completly unacceptable and i hope soem justice can be served, and the people, truth be heard.

I just got back from a 5 month stint in Thailand, enjoying the peace, place, pleople and love over there. But most of all i enjoyed the ignorant bliss to the troubles of the west, been back in the uk for less than 12 hours and already i wann go hide back in the jungle. Our so called develloped countries have taken such a sad turn for the worse, and i feel lost and condused as to what we can do about it.

fuck thats just too fucked up, i can;t make any sense of this world anymore, whats wrong with people, whats this world coming too, maybe its the jetlag but i feel we're truley screwed.

are we as a human race really that fucked up!!!

im going for a long sleep, and hope tomorrow when i wake up i can figure out what i as a single human can do to help prevent things like this, and all the other human injustices around the world from hapening.

love and respect

ollie

edited to add : i too got fobbed off to the Utah County Jail through that number, and im sure they dont give a toss, although they were polite.

[Creatrix]

Unfortunately, this is nothing new (although it has been some time since something of this scale has occurred over here)...there has been a continental crackdown on dance music culture in north america for several years...less to do about dancing, more to do with dance drugs or hm, running a 'crack house' (read: providing a venue in which people use illicit substances). *note sarcasm*

There is a group, I am not 100% that they are still active - the Electronic Music Defense and Education Fund -- they will provide assistance in lawyers fees, among other services for partyers and party promoters who are caught in this 'crusade' against dance-drugs-culture. EMDEF is/has been funded through the Drug Policy Alliance (www.drugpolicy.org).

If there is any supporting evidence this action in SLC has to do with the war on (some) drugs, I suggest people write to both Drug Policy Alliance and the Harm Reduction Coalition in NYC (www.harmreduction.org) for additional support.

[brain]

someone should check if they are playing too much counterstrike or the like in the police HQ...

[holly]

Join us in the other thread (http://www.vjforums.com/showthread.php?postid=99362#post99362)



:wizard:

[littlecatalyst]

wow creatrix.. i look forward to meeting you at the VJ Battle this weekend!

[holly]

Could it have anything to do with our wiley prez making the first of his "War is like medicine: tastes bad but is good for you" speeches.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/23/politics/23prexy.html
(subscription required)

[littlecatalyst]

is that why i saw so many Vets wearing these during the prez speech yesterday?
http://home.tiscali.be/joke1/Neju4/bullshit%20protector.jpg

[Stickman]

Over the top response from the police, even if it turns out that the event was illegal there was no need for thier tactics / methods.

Reading the UTAH rave website / forum is interesting, it appears that the promoters have already started filing lawsuits... I wish them well.

Stickman

[Westbam]

I was readin the links posted, made my skin feel cold.

I am soooo glad I live in europe....

War on Drugs, War on Terror.. do they realy think you can ever 'win' that??

WTF VIDEO FOOTAGE:

http://homepage.mac.com/apexgrin/FileSharing2.html

Been to a lot off raves in my time, and never saw dudes dressed like these special opps!! :grrr:

[vjpixylight]

...but not surprising.
raves are like biting from the poison apple.
a rave this big means big $$, and when the
power structure doesn't get their cut, well
they use mafia technics like rei has elated too.

I really feel that the best way around this
game that is played, is to keep it an 18+
event and above board.
Forget about luring in 3000 tinibops, and
create more mature and manageable adult
parties.
Most of all, keep the police in the loop..
get to know whom you are dealing with
in the law enforcement that will be dealing
with you..
Mafia controlled x-tasy raves that just use
the scene to make $$ are going to have a
negative effect on most of us here when
doing VJ/visuals for non-rave dance/club
parties and the like..

It is like we are getting sandwiched in from
BOTH ends, and that is what is scarry:sad:

Just edited to add that if anyone has seen
'City of God', it exemplifies what is going
on (to a lesser extent) in the rave culture
that is Amerika today..
That is, that the drug trade is controlled
from both ends(importation and distribution)
by both the mafia and corrupt law enforcement.
Playing an 'independent' in this game is like
being a double agent. You had better know
what you are doing, and who you are getting
involved with before you take the plunge...

[jeffhtg]

aww holly linked my thread (blush)



im surprised they didnt use stealth bombers.. i mean c'mon utah produces more scientists than any other state.

[vjpixylight]

...and it is no smoking gun IMHO. Tho I can readily assume that non of us here would wish this to happen to anyone, it really doesn't show mass beatings or resistance for that matter..pretty standard drug raid style exercise.

It does make me wonder if this wasn't some kind of move to push the limits, and how far they can go ..:sad:

oh and it does happen...remember waco?
it is not going away, better bunker down..
as neil young might say:

"Look out, mama, there?s a white boat comin? up the river
With a big red beacon, and a flag, and a man on the rail
I think you?d better call john,
?cause it don?t look like they?re here to deliver the mail
And it?s less than a mile away
I hope they didn?t come to stay
It?s got numbers on the side and a gun
And it?s makin? big waves.

[sketchyj]

back in the early 90's when we were doing illegal raves in denver, we finally got smart about how the police work. If we didn't want the door kicked down we would pay $100 to one of the Denver cops (my friend knew one who worked some nights at a local club just sitting by the door) and when any more police responded to the noise or whatever he would just tell them he had it under control and wave them on. Really just a bribe. Seasoned businessmen/promoters/club owners all know this as just the cost of doing business and it is factored in as an expense.

[DFUNC]

It's all about fear and domination in USA.

[Hambone]

Excuse my ignorance, but why should an outdoor gig be illegal?

Aren't the police notified and used for on-site policing and crowd control? If not, why not?

Surely thousands of outdoor gigs organized by responsible promoters happen year-round.