Chanel ? and the Fun Police
My Saturday night: Actually a lot less rowdy than the below report indicates. I had a fun few wild dances, rocking my spine out to electro thrash, hugged a few friends, flirted with a flirty friend ; ) and choose to go home when they left about 1am, and so missed the confrontation with the fun police. I mean, really, no one's getting their homes broken into on a Saturday night, so the police can afford to use these overwhelming numbers to stop a bunch of kids doing.. what.. partying.. dancing without authority...
You can't stop us partying, copper, you only look stupid, while your pay packet drains Mr and Mrs Average for you to harass their children. Our happy celebration of our humanity is stronger than your dour fun-policing! We hug who we want, we dance where we want, we share whatever fun things we choose, and we laugh in your general direction!
Now, over to your Fox Network approved news source:
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24270198-5006009,00.html
Riot police break up Facebook party
Article from: The Sunday Telegraph
.. ..
By Chelsea White
August 31, 2008 12:00am
.. ..
RIOT police, the Dog Squad and a helicopter were called in to break up a wild dance party in Sydney's inner west last night.
About 1,500 people crammed into an empty Camperdown warehouse for the event, publicised through online forums such as Facebook, and complete with lasers, video installations and DJs over three floors.
Nearly 1km of Parramatta Rd was closed just after 1am as police tried to clear the warehouse amid serious fire and safety concerns.
Around 50 officers were joined by a huge back-up force, including the Public Order and Riot Squad, the Dog Squad, Polair and Police Rescue, when a group of partygoers refused to leave and threw bottles from the upper floors.
It took until 2.30am to clear the building. Parramatta Rd was reopened at 3am.
There were no arrests at the party but a man was later arrested after allegedly lashing out at police as they moved people on.
Newtown duty officer Paul Giovenali described the event as a "fairly disturbing scene''.
However, a number of partygoers accused police of overacting, saying the event was just good fun.
One attendee, who only identified himself as Daniel, said the event had been going since 10pm.
"Going against the grain, of course its fun,'' he said.
Another partygoer, Jess Cook, said the police were overacting to a creative event.
"The reason why our community does this is because there is no space for us,'' Ms Cook said.
You can't stop us partying, copper, you only look stupid, while your pay packet drains Mr and Mrs Average for you to harass their children. Our happy celebration of our humanity is stronger than your dour fun-policing! We hug who we want, we dance where we want, we share whatever fun things we choose, and we laugh in your general direction!
Now, over to your Fox Network approved news source:
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24270198-5006009,00.html
Riot police break up Facebook party
Article from: The Sunday Telegraph
.. ..
By Chelsea White
August 31, 2008 12:00am
.. ..
RIOT police, the Dog Squad and a helicopter were called in to break up a wild dance party in Sydney's inner west last night.
About 1,500 people crammed into an empty Camperdown warehouse for the event, publicised through online forums such as Facebook, and complete with lasers, video installations and DJs over three floors.
Nearly 1km of Parramatta Rd was closed just after 1am as police tried to clear the warehouse amid serious fire and safety concerns.
Around 50 officers were joined by a huge back-up force, including the Public Order and Riot Squad, the Dog Squad, Polair and Police Rescue, when a group of partygoers refused to leave and threw bottles from the upper floors.
It took until 2.30am to clear the building. Parramatta Rd was reopened at 3am.
There were no arrests at the party but a man was later arrested after allegedly lashing out at police as they moved people on.
Newtown duty officer Paul Giovenali described the event as a "fairly disturbing scene''.
However, a number of partygoers accused police of overacting, saying the event was just good fun.
One attendee, who only identified himself as Daniel, said the event had been going since 10pm.
"Going against the grain, of course its fun,'' he said.
Another partygoer, Jess Cook, said the police were overacting to a creative event.
"The reason why our community does this is because there is no space for us,'' Ms Cook said.
Labels: camperdown party police
posted by Norrie @ Sunday, August 31, 2008
3 Comments:
At 31 August, 2008 23:48,
Anonymous said…
That party was awesome.. so glad to see some happy sydney siders dancing away thier caes in a friendly free and creative environment.. what a shame that it had to end! I heard some party goes reporting that police actually sent in some under covers who smashed windows, and through bottles out to make the party look like it was out of control. I think overrall that they were quite controlled.. but seriously the party would have been over in a few hours.. and there would have been alot less damage. no need to block a road off and stand around looking tough to a bunch of peace loving party goers!
At 31 August, 2008 23:51,
Anonymous said…
Right on. Truth speaks with conviction. Its no wonder youth are creative convicts.
At 02 September, 2008 03:41,
Anonymous said…
Hi I was in the area the night of this party. I didnt attend the party, but I did stay around as I was concerned about the behaviour of the police. This event became a 'civil disturbance' when a single individual inside the building punched through the window with his fist, who knows perhaps this was guy was a 'plant'. Its a shame that all it takes is one persons misbehaviour to create a civil disturbance.
I totally agree with Jess Cooks comments, that the police were overreacting.
My understanding is that under the current laws police have special powers to break up what are deemed to be civil disturbances when given the authority from the commisioner. As far as I know this gives police the power to direct people away from the danger area.
Despite my protests ( as I felt I was in no danger over 200 metres away from the building, the danger area appeared to be directly under the windows. I witnessed no projectiles) I was pushed by a plain clothed police officer further out of the area. I felt they were pushing me away from where I could be a witness to what they were doing. I wanted to wait to see how people were being treated. In my book being forceably moved in this fashion is assault. I was verbally assualted by this same officer who accused me of being involved with the event. This officer tried to intimidate me. Although I told he officer he was abusing his powers, I was never rude to the police. I just tried to assert my civil rights, yet in return I was denied any meaningful responses to my questions and instead received totally disrespect...brutality.
While I value the ability of Sydney police to protect public safety, the uncivil, undiplomatic, disrespectful way some of the police handle situations is doing our rights a lot of harm.
The term civil disturbance needs to be properly defined. It should mean simply a large gathering of people having some fun.
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