More than 50 people have been arrested after police put an end to an illegal rave witnessed by thousands in the South Downs.
Police were called to the “big unlicensed musical event” in fields near the town of Steyning in West Sussex in the early hours of Sunday.
No less than 2,000 people, most of them from outside the region, attended the event, despite coronavirus rules prohibiting gatherings of more than 30 people.
Eight people were identified as potential organizers of the rave and arrested, while sound equipment was seized, Sussex said the police.
People who organize large-scale rallies that violate COVID directives can be fined up to £ 10,000.
Participants were arrested for a number of offenses, including drunk driving, drug use, drug possession and theft.
Two police cars were involved in crashes as officers tried to bring the event to an end.
One of them was treated for a suspected broken arm after the police car he was in collided with a vehicle trying to exit the rave.
The 20-year-old driver, a Redditch man, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs and taken to hospital as a precaution.
Another driver was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, failing to stop or providing a breathalyzer test, after a second car crashed into another police vehicle.
Videos on social media showed large numbers of people dancing to loud music and pushing back traffic along country roads.
Sussex Police said they encountered “significant hostility” as they tried to contain the event.
The roads had to …
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-06-28 01:34:00
