Forums › Rave › Free Parties & Teknivals › Partylines – security warning
Thames Valley Police have finally started ringing partylines as soon as they open to find out where events are – instead of waiting until the locals complain (which sometimes means that parties are left alone for some considerable time or even not visited at all!)
One local crew got visited and requested to “shut down their partyline to prevent further people arriving!”
Not sure why there has been this sudden change in tactic, particularly as various partylines have been all over the internet and printed on flyers for years now – I think it could be as simple as the cops realising that their Airwave radio will dial civilian telephone numbers as well….
First thouight as to how to fight this might be for TV crews to get together and start sending the dibble on as many wildgoose chases as poss – put party directions on lines that as often as poss send police into countryside or warehouses where nothing is happening? Only prob would be how to stop party peeps from going there too! maybe post the real dates online or via another method maybe? I suspect that police will get bored of doing this fairly quickly anyway, unless parties down there are causing so much disruption that it is their interest to!
Thoughts anyone?
M
Originally posted by stumblingmatt
First thouight as to how to fight this might be for TV crews to get together and start sending the dibble on as many wildgoose chases as poss – put party directions on lines that as often as poss send police into countryside or warehouses where nothing is happening? Only prob would be how to stop party peeps from going there too! maybe post the real dates online or via another method maybe? I suspect that police will get bored of doing this fairly quickly anyway, unless parties down there are causing so much disruption that it is their interest to!Thoughts anyone?
M
the big danger with “sting” operations on our part is as you said that real party peeps would be led to a non-event in an area which could also have a large police presence – there could be a lot of “collateral damage” here as the cops take out their frustration on anyone else who was sucked in!
I think that is exactly what is happening; whilst TVP realise they cannot stop them altogether – particularly after their TSG units were (suprisingly non-violently!) encouraged to retreat on the ridgeway) they are still getting a lot of complaints from irate locals, more about traffic congestion and “denial of access” issues than anything else.
So the cops are trying to disrupt these events before they happen; or at least “downsize” them so the neighbours don’t whinge as much.
more and more though I’m beginning to think that abandoning partylines may be a good idea – even if it leads to slightly less people at events (and I think you could easily fill a 3 rig warehouse just by word of mouth alone!) – it may also discourage violence at events (which is starting to become even more of a problem even outside London).
yep, good points, altho not sure what police could do to peeps going to a non existent party??
Howe abt the old skool rave way of directing pple to a transfer point, where someone gives final directions in person to obviuos party pple, and not to police? Might buy bit more time mto get peeps on site, altho not fool proof.
Like u say, word of mouth may be the way fwd – especially for established rigs – and IMO theres nothing wrong with a smallish party!
M
Originally posted by stumblingmatt
yep, good points, altho not sure what police could do to peeps going to a non existent party??[/quote]
search people on “suspicion of posession of controlled drugs” , write tickets for various traffic violations, log numberplates…..
Quote:Howe abt the old skool rave way of directing pple to a transfer point, where someone gives final directions in person to obviuos party pple, and not to police? Might buy bit more time mto get peeps on site, altho not fool proof.it was a useful method when mobile telephones were analogue – there were people with scanners who would listen in and grass up party info to the old bill 🙁 –
if ressurected, we’d have to take into account the massive expansion in CCTV systems in the last 14 years, and the new ASBO laws. A large gathering of cars anywhere in the UK will attract the cops; who may mistake it for a cruise (illegal race); the cops can now move on the vehicles anyway!
Quote:Like u say, word of mouth may be the way fwd – especially for established rigs – and IMO theres nothing wrong with a smallish party!
M
In my area it wouldn’t be a small party either; a house party in the student quarter of the city is usually packed out by the evening!
Incidentally some TVP traffic cops who were sent to video cars coming out of a rave in Reading a few years ago said to the organisers they were far more concerned over people driving long distances having consumed drugs, the links between some parts of the rave scene and car crime/cruise culture and the disruption caused by badly parked vehicles than raves themselves.
Originally posted by stumblingmatt
yep, good points, altho not sure what police could do to peeps going to a non existent party??[/quote]
search people on “suspicion of posession of controlled drugs” , write tickets for various traffic violations, log numberplates…..
Quote:Howe abt the old skool rave way of directing pple to a transfer point, where someone gives final directions in person to obviuos party pple, and not to police? Might buy bit more time mto get peeps on site, altho not fool proof.it was a useful method when mobile telephones were analogue – there were people with scanners who would listen in and grass up party info to the old bill 🙁 –
if ressurected, we’d have to take into account the massive expansion in CCTV systems in the last 14 years, and the new ASBO laws. A large gathering of cars anywhere in the UK will attract the cops; who may mistake it for a cruise (illegal race); the cops can now move on the vehicles anyway!
Quote:Like u say, word of mouth may be the way fwd – especially for established rigs – and IMO theres nothing wrong with a smallish party!
M
In my area it wouldn’t be a small party either; a house party in the student quarter of the city is usually packed out by the evening!
Incidentally some TVP traffic cops who were sent to video cars coming out of a rave in Reading a few years ago said to the organisers they were far more concerned over people driving long distances having consumed drugs, the links between some parts of the rave scene and car crime/cruise culture and the disruption caused by badly parked vehicles than raves themselves.
Originally posted by General Lighting
more and more though I’m beginning to think that abandoning partylines may be a good idea – even if it leads to slightly less people at events (and I think you could easily fill a 3 rig warehouse just by word of mouth alone!) – it may also discourage violence at events (which is starting to become even more of a problem even outside London).
Yes, we have been thinking about ditching the partyline for a while now. But it’s hard to let it go. We are becoming less and less concerned about throwing big parties with 600+ people though and now just want everyone there to be safe and have the best time possible. I’m starting to prefer the smaller parties.
The only way I could see to stop people going to the “fake” directions is to use some sort of code word in the message. But then it’s still the task of making sure everyone knows what that code word is. No doubt there would always be a few people turn up whatever you try. I remember we lost our old partyline once and people were turning up to the same venue for the next few weeks because the directions were left on the line.
I can think of one method that allows the partyline to still be used, so that last minute changes to location or other info will still reach the right people.
When putting on a party, collect the mobile numbers of as many of the people there as possible. before the next party, text everyone on the list with the number you’ll be using on the night. This way the number doesn’t need to be printed on flyers or websites, and you can keep the people that are genuine, happy ravers informed.
Obv, this will cost a few pounds, but is a bit more secure.
While violence is a problem, and massive raves are sometimes a bit soulless, i do think we should be spreading the word, and the problem with mailing list type deals is that you may end up with the same crew at every party, which does not for a phat rave maaaaake. however, there are a couple of sites on net that you can send loads o texts from dead cheap. if there is a sure fire way of expansion, then all good……..
yea the pigs always seem way more bothered that somethings gonna catch fire or someone’s gonna od, which is fair does. im still brewing ideas for a national legal site network, solving those superficial probs.
Originally posted by USE
While violence is a problem, and massive raves are sometimes a bit soulless, i do think we should be spreading the word, and the problem with mailing list type deals is that you may end up with the same crew at every party, which does not for a phat rave maaaaake.
[/quote]TBH I think that SMS lists add an extra level of technical complexity and a further insecurity – what happens if the list falls into the wrong hands? not that difficult for law enforcement to lean on a telecoms/hosting firm nowadays, wherever in the world it may be, as Indymedia found out!
OK cops probably won’t bust everybody but they get a nice list of numbers to check against other lists of “numbers of interest” they may have….
Also not everyone has their own mobile phone or easy access to the internet – it can create a digital divide. I would also be uncomfortable about giving out a mobile number for use on any kind of automated SMS system other than one I trust; many of these gateways keep the costs down by selling the lists of harvested numbers for SMS marketing purposes 🙁
The amount of trouble at parties is already having the effect of “only the same crews turning up”
People tend to stick together amongst people they trust now!, or avoid parties so as not to encouter people they have had previous trouble with. This is now no longer exclusively a London problem, is as much caused by disputes amongst ravers who were once friends, and is happening everywhere.
It is reducing the positive interaction between people; and I am aware of evidence that some crews are (through no fault of their own) attracting “haters” via their partylines who only attend the parties to rob people and cause other trouble.
Its now getting to the stage where “open” parties now present an increasing risk to those attending – about on the same level as commercial raves – and sadly I think we have to be more selective about who gets to hear about them; not obviously in a “west end bouncer” way but just to ensure people are there for the right reasons -strangely enough I’ve found that by word of mouth the right people do still manage to find each other. it was easy enough to fill large parties long before mobiles and partylines became commonplace….
Cheer up GL!? its not all doom, gloom and risks left right n centre – least not where I’m from anyhoo!
Originally posted by stumblingmatt
Cheer up GL!? its not all doom, gloom and risks left right n centre – least not where I’m from anyhoo!
where may that be? guess its not London or the SE….
I still post a lot of good stuff about parties but at the same time I will not try and bury bad news like the politicians – this shit is happening and needs to be dealt with!
There has been way too much bad shit in our area recently; its been going on for some years and has been getting worse rather than better. party peopel are being squeezed by one side from old bill, and from the other by violent criminals (or the darker sides of their own personalities!)
Whilst it isn’t immediately putting people off doing them its starting to manifest itself in people in crews becoming more stressed and strained; when these people are good friends of yours I’d rather try and discuss it rather than hide the problems….
Free parties are still safer than commercial events; at least without the major “bling/glamour/$£€” factor its less likely for people to start shooting one another (plus we don’t play garage and grime!)
I know we have moved on since then, but it seems that maybe some how organising parties by word of mouth like back in the old days may have to be the solution. Party people managed it before with out the use of technology, why not again, maye with a twist. the new ravers need to get used to the idea of word of mouth and the older ravers can show us how it was done!
Or maybe getting people’s email addresses at parties and signing them up for a party announcement that is mailed to email addresss of people only got from parties so you know they aint old bill, then once a few people know, the info soon spreads, i mean we can txt and call directions to each other surely!
I think the risk of loosing a few people who may not find out the info is worth keeping everything going with minimum police/court hasssle is worth it!
May even stop random unwanted peeps turning up! If someone who is blatantly shday gives you their email..you could just makrk iit and not send an email to them!
Duno if this would work?? :bounce_ci
Or the party line can direct people to motorway services where some random will give directions or an alternative phone number to propper party people on the quiet. That way you get no OB and no arseholes 😀
Crews have been caught out before over the years because cops were already in the service station stuffing their faces!
Whilst cops may not want to risk indigestion by following you immediately, they certainly notice large gatherings of cars at odd times and will do checks on the vehicles registration numbers (they may also think its a cruise if there are lots of nice cars)- some traffic cars even have mobile terminals which check numberplates, and they do keep records of vehicles spotted at raves more than a couple of times.
Friends of mine have been stopped for unrelated minor traffic matters midweek and asked about raves!
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