US: Muslims protest party flyer – September 2002 Muslims protest party flyer
By Yahoo News - Thursday September 5 2002
Copyright: Yahoo News
Seattle-area Muslims are organizing a taxi work stoppage to protest the use of verses from the Koran in a brochure advertising a dance party.
At least four to six dozen Muslim taxi drivers plan to stop work for a few hours during tomorrow night's rave in Georgetown, said Al-Salaam Mahmoud, leader of the Masjid As Salaam mosque in SeaTac.
More than 100 Muslims independently own cabs in the city, he added, and could affect the community in a public way.
Muslims are offended that the party promoter advertised the rave, called Phase 1, by using religious phrases and verses from the Koran, the holy book of Islam that is said to have been revealed to Mohammed during a period of 23 years.
"The community is totally outraged," Mahmoud said.
"There are some areas that are sacred."
Distributed in the Southcenter Mall in Tukwila and a few shops in Capitol Hill, the brochure uses an Arabic verse from the Koran that refers to the month of Ramadan, in which Muslims fast.
Muslims plan to call a news conference in Bellevue today to denounce the use of Koranic verses and show support across faiths. They're rallying for support from Jewish, Sikh and Christian faiths.
"It's really the public mocking of religious faith," said the Rev. Joe Fuiten with Cedar Park Assembly, a non-denominational Christian church in Bothell.
Fuiten supported the Muslims' protest because he said he wanted to denounce the intolerance shown to a minority religion.
Michael Medved, who is active within the Jewish community, said, "This is an area where we can show solidarity and support for our Muslim neighbors.
"This is a very clear issue of a lack of respect for religious tradition," said Medved, who is the host of a popular conservative Seattle-based radio show.
Muslims said they object to the use of Koranic verses to advertise a rave, where dancing, drinking and drugs -- all prohibited by Islam -- are common.
"This is the holy Koran," said Abdi Akhim, 33, who attends the SeaTac mosque. "This religion is very strict. So imagine people who make a party (using it)."
The party promoter has apologized for using the verses, but did not pull the 50,000 brochures as the Muslim community requested, Mahmoud said.
"We are sympathetic to the complaints of the Muslim community," the designer of the brochure wrote in an e-mail yesterday. "It was not our intent to insult or undermine the Islamic religion."
The party promoter could not be reached for comment yesterday.
According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Washington-based Islamic advocacy group, there are 1.2 million followers worldwide and 6 million in the United States, making Islam the second-most popular religion after Catholicism.
By some estimates, there are 40,000 Muslims in this region.
Samatar Ali, 35, a Muslim taxi driver, said he had not heard of the work stoppage but would eagerly consider participating.
"The whole thing of the work stoppage is to send a message about how we feel about our religion," Ali said as he maneuvered his cab through downtown traffic yesterday. "I don't think any religion should be used in such a manner. That's a little off the line."
The brochure's designer said that he had no idea what the passages meant and "used them purely for their aesthetic beauty."
But Ibrahim Hooper, executive director of the council, said, people don't recognize that Islam has a role and presence in this country.
To them, "somehow Islam is exotic and foreign, and makes for good copy," he said. "They don't realize it's offensive. The byproduct is that it becomes clever to use Islamic symbols in advertising."
http://www.yahoo.com/
World: Canadian Senate panel urges legalization of POT – September 2002 Canadian Senate panel urges legalization of pot
By CNN - Thursday September 5 2002
Copyright: CNN
OTTAWA, Canada (CNN) -- A Canadian Senate committee recommended Wednesday that marijuana be legalized.
"Cannabis should be, from here on, in legal and of restricted use, so that Canadians can choose whether to consume or not in security," said Sen. Pierre Claude Nolin, a Progressive Conservative Party member from Quebec province. He spoke at a news conference announcing the final report of the Special Committee on Illegal Drugs, which he chaired.
The government should give amnesty to anyone convicted of marijuana possession under current or past legislation and erase their records, Nolin said.
"Domestic and international experts and Canadians from every walk of life told us loud and clear that we should not be imposing criminal records on users or unduly prohibiting personal use of cannabis," Nolin said.
The committee's report will be considered by lawmakers.
Evidence indicates that cannabis is less harmful than alcohol, and undermines the idea that smoking pot leads to harder drugs, the committee said.
The report recommends the legal age for possession and consumption as 16, said Dave Newman, committee spokesman. It would be regulated similar to the way alcohol is.
Nolin said: "Make no mistake, we are not endorsing cannabis use for recreational consumption. Whether or not an individual uses marijuana should be a personal choice that is not subject to criminal penalties.
"But we have come to the conclusion that, as a drug, it should be regulated by the state much as we do for wine and beer, hence our preference for legalization over decriminalization."
The report says the appropriate level of tetrahydrocannabinol -- THC -- in marijuana for recreational use would be 13 percent. THC is the main active component of cannabis.
Many of the products illegally on the market now have a much higher THC level, he said.
The committee also recommended a revision of the regulations regarding medicinal use of marijuana.
Legalization would ultimately result in less recreational use of marijuana, the panel believes. It also would take a load off the criminal justice system and hurt organized crime, the report says.
The panel also recommended that laws on driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs should be amended "to lower permitted alcohol levels to 40 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood, in the presence of other drugs, especially, but not exclusively cannabis; and to admit evidence from expert police officers trained in detecting persons operating vehicles under the influence of drugs."
Sen. Colin Kenny, a Liberal Party member from Ontario who is the panel's deputy chair, said no one on the committee wants to see an increase in drug use.
Newman said the nation's minister of justice, Martin Cauchon, will take a look at the report and determine whether the government wants to put it on its legislative agenda.
Other recommendations made in the 600-plus page report, which is the result of two years of study, include:
Canada "should adopt an integrated policy on the risks and harmful effects of psychoactive substances" covering a whole range of substances.
A Canadian Center on Psychoactive Substances and Dependency should be created, with "a strong, clear mandate."
The nation should seek amendments to U.N. conventions and treaties governing illegal drugs and back the development of a Drugs and Dependency Monitoring Agency for the Americas.
http://www.cnn.com/
World: French Interior Minister offers to talk with TEKNIVAL organisers – Sept. 2000 Interior Minister offers to talk with ravers ahead of big bash at secret site
By Yahoo News - Thursday September 5 2002
Copyright: Yahoo News
PARIS - France's Interior Minister offered on Wednesday to hold talks with organizers of techno dance parties, as the south of France braced for a massive rave to be held at a secret location — in defiance of the law.
"The minister ... is ready to meet organizers of techno events who show they respect the security requirements that are essential for participants and the environment," said Nicolas Sarkozy in a statement.
The unusual offer came as police were placed on alert in southern France ahead of "Teknival," an annual four-day rave party which drew 10,000 people last year. It was to start late Wednesday and run through Sunday. The exact location has not been disclosed, but several techno Web sites said it was being held somewhere in southern France.
One police officer in Lyon, asking not to be named, said police searching for the party location were going to be on a veritable "treasure hunt."
Rave parties have been held in farmers' fields or in old depots. But increasing restrictions mean that rave partygoers often end up moving from place to place.
France has passed laws to give authorities more control over rave parties in response to several deaths and accidents. In October, lawmakers adopted a measure requiring rave organizers to give local authorities advance notice of parties.
In May, the government adopted a second, stricter measure requiring a one-month notice for any event with more than 250 participants, amplified music and a high level of risk to participants — rave parties.
Police can confiscate musical equipment if rules are not followed and organizers can face charges.
All that angered organizers of this year's edition of "Teknival," who feel ravers have an undeservedly bad image. They decided to circumvent the law by refusing to notify officials of their party — which they said was being preceded by a go-slow protest movement along major highways in southeast France.
"They want it to be known that there's a large free party movement that's not just about taking drugs," said Tommy Vaudecrane, one of the directors of Technopol, an organization that promotes electronic music. "It's a music and culture movement as well."
http://www.yahoo.com/
US: Officials block Saturday ‘rave’ – September 2002 Officials block Saturday ‘rave’
By The Post Crescent - Sep 9 2002
Copyright: The Post Crescent
APPLETON — A rave party planned for an Appleton park will be shut down by city officials, who say rampant drug use accompanies the events.
Appleton police were tipped off by the Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Department that a rave was being planned Saturday at Telulah Park on Appleton’s east side.
When the plans became known, it was decided the best course of action was to close the park for the day, Mayor Tim Hanna said.
“If we find out events like this are scheduled to take place in our city, we’re going to do whatever we can to thwart them,” he said. “The message is: ‘If that’s what the plan is, not in Appleton.’”
Last weekend, Sheboygan County authorities dealt with a rave of their own, at a private residence in the Town of Sheboygan Falls, according to Lt. Leroy Nennig of the Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Department.
Nennig estimated between 300 and 400 people were at the Sheboygan Falls party. He said three tents were set up — one served beer — and disc jockeys played music in each.
Three undercover officers were at the party and others were in the area to assist, but the only arrest was for selling psilocybin mushrooms, Nennig said. A few underage drinking tickets also were handed out to individuals from outside the county, he said.
“It was pretty much an all-nighter thing,” Nennig said. “I think there could have been a lot more arrests, but you don’t want to cause a riot out there.”
Appleton Police Department public information officer John DeLong said other drug use, including Ecstasy and LSD, was reported from Sheboygan County.
“It had all the elements of a traditional rave party — loud music, lots of noise and drugs — lots of drugs,” said DeLong.
At the Sheboygan Falls party, flyers were distributed announcing a rave to be held at Telulah Park. The flyer also listed a phone number in the 920 area code that when called Tuesday night gave directions to the park.
A check by Parks and Recreation Department staff found that the two Telulah Park pavilions had been reserved by two Appleton residents from noon until dark Saturday. Hanna said the reservation applicant misled staff by indicating the party would be limited to 50 people.
“If the word gets out there is a rave party, there will be a lot more than 50 people there,” Nennig said.
The permit applicants listed Appleton addresses. Police were told the individuals had moved.
Bill Siebers, assistant to Hanna, said a letter has been sent to the applicants in hopes it will be forwarded to their new address. The letter informs them the permit has been rescinded, and a refund of their cost is available at the Parks and Recreation Department.
http://www.postcrescent.com/
UK: Police stop rave on Ranmore Common – August 2002 Police stop rave on Ranmore Common
By icsurreyonline.co.uk - Aug 20 2002
Copyright: icsurreyonline.co.uk
A planned rave on Ranmore Common at the weekend was stopped before it was even started thanks to vigilant proactive patrols by Surrey Police.
As good weather seems to have finally arrived for the summer Surrey Police is increasing patrols in areas which are likely to be targetted by party organisers.
Two officers who had been tasked with proactively seeking potential rave sites discovered a party was about to start without permission on Ranmore Common around 11.30pm on Saturday night (August 17).
More officers were called in and they warned organisers that unless the party was stopped immediately they would seize sound equipment. They agreed to go peacefully and most of the around 100 people who had gathered had left by about 1.30am on Sunday.
Sergeant Andy Davis said: "We understand the concerns of local residents about these kind of unauthorised late night parties and we are not waiting to be told about them but are proactively seeking them out. Our aim as in this case is to stop the raves before they start by confiscating equipment."
He added: "Even those which are held away from residential areas can cause irreversible damage to the countryside just by having a large group of people in one place. Organisers may not be aware they can be prosecuted under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
"They MUST get permission from the landowner first. We will identify irresponsible organisers in partnership with English Nature, the National Trust and other landowners and seek to prosecute if there is any damage to the land or disruption to the community."
http://icsurreyonline.icnetwork.co.uk/
UK: Random Artists open new record shop – August 2002 Random Artists record shop opens
By Random Artists - Monday, July 29, 2002
Copyright: Random Artists
Random Artists have opened a new building which will provide workshop space for artists and will also host weekly events. The building is situated in the centre of Hackney, north London, and we hope that it will bring back some vibrancy to a borough which has seen many of its social and cultural assets stripped away.
The building will also host a new record shop, Riot Squad Records, where the remaining hard electronic music makers are collaborating to bring some sadly neglected sounds back to the people of London. The shop will open Thursday to Saturday each week starting THIS SATURDAY 3rd. For up-to-date info on the shops location, or to listen to mp3 previews of the stock check out www.riotsquadrecords.co.uk .....the location will also be on the Riot Squad number 07092 041071.
There will also be a cafe and gallery space open this Saturday with some films being shown in the evening. As ever, everyone is welcome to bring down contributions to the gallery space but this time there is some great workshop space which needs to be used as well. We don't know how long we might have the building for and so we should not let it go to waste. Come down and see why!
If anyone wants to hold an exhibition, event or meeting in the building then please get in touch to discuss how it might work.
We still need some things to use the place to its full potential.... please bring down anything useful you can donate. In particular we could do with locks, hasps, bolts etc. photographic chemicals & photographic paper and any other art materials at all, furniture, tetchy tat - computers, monitors, TVs etc.... kitchen stuff, pots, pans, cutlery, cups - and a fridge!
Hope to see you at the building sometime soon.
Riot Squad / Random Artists
282 Richmond Road, London, E8 3QS
Nearest rail station: Hackney Central BR or Hackney Downs BR
Buses: 38, 48, 55, 106, 236, 253, 277
To speak to anyone who is living in the building phone the artistsline 07092 012299 or by email.
All events at the building will be posted on the website and also on our hotline 07050 614804.
http://www.randomartists.org/
UK: Kent Police shut down party – August 2002 Police shut down an illegal party
By Kent Constabulary - Monday, July 29, 2002
Copyright: Kent Constabulary
Three people have been charged following a police operation late Saturday and early Sunday aimed at shutting down an illegal rave planned for a field near the village of Hadlow in Kent.
Seized during the operation was £3,000 worth of ecstasy and cannabis as well as a CS gas cannister and an asp (extending baton).
The rave, which is believed to have been moved at the last minute from Hadlow to the Joyce Green Hospital site near Dartford, was due to start at 10pm and police believe as many as 1,000 people were expected to attend. According to advertisements and a website, the rave was expected to last throughout the night ending at 10am.
Police officers sent to both locations stopped cars coming into the sites and turned away people who had travelled from across Kent, Essex and London to attend.
Supt Trevor Pankhurst said: "Our main concern is for the safety of Kent residents and for the safety of the young people who are encouraged to attend illegal raves. By arriving early that evening we were able to quickly turn people away, a large proportion of whom were in their teens. While our approach is low-key, focused on high profile policing and on prevention, we will continue to police illegal raves robustly. We will continue to make arrests where appropriate and will ensure those who commit offences are taken before the courts."
Charges:
Charged with possession of ecstasy with intent to supply is a 16 year old boy from Swanley. He has been bailed to Dartford Youth Court on 30 July 2002.
Charged with possession of cannabis with intent to supply and possession of an offensive weapon (an asp) is David Kay Richard Snape, a steel engineer, aged 18, of Mounts Road, Greenhithe. He has been bailed to Dartford Magistrates' Court on 24 July 2002.
Charged with possession of a CS gas cannister is Jack Alexander Craig Tandy, unemployed, aged 20, of Ash Tree Drive in West Kingsdown. He has been bailed to Dartford Magistrates' Court on 31 July 2002.
Others:
A 21 year old man from London arrested for drugs possession has been bailed without charge to return following further police enquiries. A 17 year old youth has similarly been bailed without charge after he was arrested for drugs possession. A 19 year old man and 20 year old man were arrested but they were refused charge and released.
http://www.kent.police.uk/
UK: Residents threaten to blockade party site – August 2002 Residents pledge to blockade rave party
By Surrey Advertiser - Monday, July 29, 2002
Copyright: Surrey Advertiser
FURIOUS residents are set to form a human blockade this weekend in a bid to stop the “menace” of all-night raves after it emerged police are powerless to stop up to 1,000 revellers gathering on private land.
Homeowners at Perry Road and Catteshall Road in Godalming say unruly ravers at a recent open-air party disturbed their sleep and vandalised their gardens.
They have also had to listen to music being played and fireworks being let off in a field behind their homes for the last three Saturdays, into the early hours. Last weekend the partygoers did not leave until around 6am on Sunday morning.
No one is sure if there will be a rave this weekend. Partygoers have to telephone a number advertised on the internet at 10.30pm on Saturday to find out when, where and if parties are being held.
Catteshall resident Nora Crane said last Saturday hoards of youngsters appeared in her road at around 11.30pm, heading for a field behind Perry Close. She said there were cars parked everywhere despite efforts of one of the organisers to get drivers to leave their cars elsewhere.
“There would never have been room for an ambulance or fire engine to get through to our homes if we had needed one,” she complained.
Police confirmed they were called to the event but no action was taken because the party was on private land.
Waverley Council environmental health staff have received numerous complaints about the all-night partying, and will be on call tomorrow (Saturday) to check out the party site.
It is not the first time residents have had problems with raves in the field, which is owned by Brian Harding of Unstead Park Cottage.
Last year they petitioned Mr Harding following open-air parties and subsequent damage to cars.
His wife Jenni admitted in a letter to residents that she had underestimated how many people would turn up – and about parking difficulties. She made an undertaking that “no more parties of that nature” would be held there and any future events would be for friends and family only.
It is not known whether the last three parties have been for “family and friends” but local people allege they have been advertised on the internet.
The website concerned includes advice on how to run an underground party without licences.
If a party is said to be private, it does not need a licence, whereas public or paid-for events need a public entertainment licence and if alcohol is sold, a liquor licence is needed.
Despite repeated attempts to gain comment, Mr Harding was unavailable this week.
http://www.surreyad.co.uk/
UK: Rave plans scotched – August 2002 Rave plans scotched by road blocks
By Kent Online - Monday, July 29, 2002
Copyright: Kent Online
AN ILLEGAL all-night rave was stopped by a county-wide police operation on Saturday. They headed off 1,000 youths - mainly teenagers - first from a field in Hadlow, near Tonbridge, and then from the last-minute switched venue of an old hospital site in Dartford.
The rave would have lasted from 10pm on Saturday to 10am on Sunday and would have attracted youths from Kent, Essex and London.
Police used flyers and a website to second-guess the rave organisers and set up road-blocks at both venues, so ravers were not able to get on either site. During the operation £3,000 worth of cannabis and ecstasy tablets were seized, as well as a canister of CS gas and a baton.
A 16-year-old from Swanley was charged with possession of ecstasy with intent to supply, David Kay Richard Snape, 18, of Greenhithe, near Dartford, was charged with possession of cannabis with intent to supply and Jack Alexander Craig Tandy, 20, of West Kingsdown, was charged with possession of a CS gas cylinder. They were all bailed to appear before Dartford magistrates in August.
Kent Police stressed that their concerns were for residents who would be disturbed by the loud all-night music as well as the youths who put themselves at risk by attending the raves.
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/
UK: Police arrest five at illegal rave in Bristol – July 2002 Police arrest five at illegal rave in Bristol
By Avon and Summerset Constabulary - Monday July 21 2002
Copyright: Avon and Summerset Constabulary
Police received complaints from members of the public that in excess of 300 people had gathered on parkland under the A370 Brunel Way, near to the Cumberland system in Bristol, at about 11.45pm on Saturday July 20 2002.
They had a substantial amount of stereo equipment and two generators with them and were intent on holding an illegal rave.
It was clear that a rave at the location would pose a significant risk of harm to those attending, and disruption to the local community. The decision was therefore made to use powers under Section 63 of the Criminal Justice Act 1994 to bring the event to a close.
District officers, supported by the dog section and support group officers moved onto the site at about 5.30am on Sunday July 21 2002, wearing protective equipment.
Despite encountering violent resistance, they succeeded in seizing the generators and sufficient amounts of equipment to bring the event to a conclusion.
A total of five arrests were made for offences including conspiracy to commit a public nuisance, violent disorder and public order offences.
Two officers received minor injuries.
For safety reasons the A370 was partly closed while the operation was carried out, ending at about 6am when the revellers dispersed.
http://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/index.asp
UK: Raves return as superclubs shunned – July 2002 Raves return as superclubs shunned
By Sunday Herrald - Friday, 12 July, 2002
They provided some of the defining moments of the 1980s, infuriated police and politicians and inspired the biggest youth movement since punk ... now illegal raves are on the rise again.
Dance fans fed up with overcrowded clubs and overpriced DJs are returning to the days of acid-house parties. Held in disused warehouses, fields and tunnels, these dance parties are, for now, known to a select few on a word-of-mouth basis.
Posters disclosing only the time and name of the night alert followers to an upcoming event, keeping pick-up points or venues secret for the hundreds of people expected. The information is then spread through word of mouth and by mobile phone text messages.
Promoters and DJs across Scotland say the nightclub industry -- especially the more commercial ventures -- is facing difficult times. In an attempt to discover the reasons behind the fall of the club scene, Scottish dance magazine M8 is devoting this month's edition to the crisis.
The magazine's Mickey McMonagle said: 'The major clubs are experiencing problems at the moment. DJs are asking higher prices, perhaps too high for the promoters and the punters -- up to £2000 a night.'
He believes another contributing factor is a recent rise in the popularity of cocaine. Whereas ecstasy fuelled raves and acid house in the 1980s, McMonagle believes cocaine encourages people to sit in a bar and listen to a good DJ set rather than battle their way through a crowded nightclub.
'There are illegal dance raves out there,' he said. 'Sometimes it's a case of a few friends getting together to stage a party for themselves in the open air. I knew of one guy who shipped his friends out to an island in Loch Lomond for a party.'
Under the Licensing Act 1996, organisers must apply to their local council for an entertainment license each time they want to stage an event. A spokeswoman for the Scottish Executive said such licenses cover the sale of alcohol and ensure health and safety regulations are upheld. Failure to apply for a license would render the event illegal.
Raves and free parties first emerged on the UK dance scene in the late 1980s and dominated youth culture until the mid-1990s. They soon became commercialised with major events such as a 1993 rave on a Chernobyl theme at Edinburgh's Ingliston Royal Highland Club Centre attended by 5000 people.
'If there was ever a time for illegal dance events to come back it would be now,'' said DJ Huggie of Blast at Club Mercado in Edinburgh. 'There are so many club nights now that people want something different. Dance music is so mainstream that what was a weekend thing is now a 7-day-a-week pastime. Whereas three years ago there were around 20 different nights throughout Edinburgh and Glasgow, there are around 60 now.'
The return to rave -- there have been numerous events in both Edinburgh and Glasgow over the summer -- is part of a wider phenomenon of an ever expanding global underground dance community, its DJs travelling throughout Europe and the US.
The recent formation of Network 23 and the long-term popularity of Desert Storm, both underground youth networks operating via the internet, show that the trend is still alive and growing in the 21st century.
Gavin, who has recently attended underground dance events in Scotland, said the appeal lies in the community spirit. 'The people that go along are very like-minded. If all your friends are dancing you can sit down and talk to these people and connect with them,' he said.
He believes commercial clubs are deterring clients with a heavy-handed approach to security and overcrowded venues.
But not all promoters are convinced a drop in attendance to legitimate clubs equals a rise in the underground scene. Raymond MacIntosh, organiser of the licensed Summer Solstice yearly outdoor dance event near Lossiemouth, said festivals -- not illegal raves -- are set to benefit from clubbers' dissatisfaction.
Ricky Magowan, founder of the monthly club night Colours at Glasgow's Arches nightclub, agrees. He said: 'I don't think we're going to see a trend towards underground dance parties in Scotland. When that was all the rage in England there were only a handful here. We also don't have the transport links.'
The underground movement of the past has been 'bastardised' by large companies, Magowan said. 'The big clubs are getting bigger while the smaller ones get smaller,' he said. 'Big-name DJs are getting to the top while the middle-of-the-road names are struggling.
'A lot of DJs aren't faithful to the home scene and are moving abroad, and there are so many festivals that people are reluctant to spend £15 on one DJ when they can see several at once.'
http://www.sundayherald.com/
World: Love Parade ‘can’t save techno’ – July 2002 Love Parade 'can't save techno'
By BBC News - Friday, 12 July, 2002
Copyright: BBC News
Up to one million people are expected in Berlin for its massive annual techno party, the Love Parade on Saturday.
Some 40 trucks laden with dancers, loudspeakers and some of electronic music's best-known DJs will parade down the wide boulevard that bisects Berlin's Tiergarten park.
But as the parade gets under way, one of the city's most legendary techno clubs says it is being priced out of the city.
The legendary Tresor club, one of the last remaining venues specialising in techno music, has now been given until the end of the year before it is demolished to make way for a six-storey office and apartment block.
The plight of the clubs has led to the formation of the Club Commission, a lobby group with around 50 members which is trying to raise the profile of clubbing in the eyes of the authorities.
Commission administrator Olaf Kretschmar said: "The club scene is a part of Berlin. It is not just about discos - it's a whole culture."
The Love Parade began 13 years ago, as 150 people dancing up West Berlin's main shopping street behind a solitary float.
The event grew to the point where 1.5 million partied in the streets in 1999, though recent years have shown a decline.
Now the techno clubs claim that their whole musical culture is under attack from developers changing the face of the German capital.
"We need rooms that can speak, that have charisma, that had a previous life," said Tresor's business manager, Regina Baer.
"A room that is just made of steel and concrete creates a really distinctive sound, which inspires the DJs and the musicians."
Tresor and many other clubs struck temporary leasing deals with the authorities at the time of German reunification.
Confusion
They moved into derelict warehouses and industrial buildings that stood abandoned in the no-man's-land that had divided east from west.
"The biggest problem for us is that there is nowhere suitable for us to go to," added Ms Baer.
The Love Parade itself faces other problems.
Last year numbers were down after confusion over whether the rave would be allowed to go ahead.
This year there have been worries about a possible terror attack, according to the mass-circulation daily Bild - though police have said they have no real evidence of any danger.
There were also protests about the noise levels of the parade - though a city court ruled this year's event should go on.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/
US: Ravers against the machine – July 2002 Ravers against the machine
By The Washington Post - Thursday, 17 July, 2002
Copyright: The Washington Post
Two young women on an urgent mission have been lugging boxes into the offices of U.S. senators this week. The boxes contain petitions an inch thick, one for each senator. Nearly 10,000 signatures were collected over the Internet in five days.
The petitions declare: "This bill is a serious threat to civil liberties, freedom of speech and the right to dance."
Look out, Congress: The ravers are coming.
"We're offended by the fact they're blackballing an entire musical genre," said Amanda Huie, checking senators' names off her list Tuesday afternoon.
The genre in question is electronic dance music, which fans enjoy at all-night parties called raves. Legislation in Congress could hold promoters responsible if people attending the events use illegal drugs such as Ecstasy, the party drug frequently associated with raves.
The Reducing Americans' Vulnerability to Ecstasy Act of 2002 -- or the RAVE Act -- has cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee and is on the consent calendar, meaning it could receive final approval without a roll call vote at any time. When he introduced the bill in June, Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) said "most raves are havens for illicit drugs," and congressional findings submitted with the bill label as drug paraphernalia such rave mainstays as bottled water, "chill rooms" and glow sticks.
The bill would expand the existing federal crack house law, which makes it a felony to provide a space for the purpose of illegal drug use, to cover promoters of raves and other events.
Another bill pending in the House -- the Clean, Learn, Educate, Abolish, Neutralize and Undermine Production (CLEAN-UP) of Methamphetamines Act, introduced by Rep. Doug Ose (R-Calif.) -- goes further. It would hold concert promoters in violation if they "reasonably ought to know" that someone will use an illegal drug during an event.
The House bill has 67 sponsors but has languished in committee since February, while in one month the RAVE Act -- sponsored by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) -- has sailed smoothly to the brink of approval.
Caught by surprise, some ravers briefly considered a more theatrical protest on the Hill, perhaps showing off totems of their culture -- rainbow hair, baggy pants, extended trance jams and those controversial glow sticks. But no. This is Washington, and ravers know the folkways. Huie, dressed quietly in slacks and shirt, said people from 49 states signed the petition. (Ravers must be scarce in North Dakota.)
"This is a petition about S. 2633," Huie told receptionists in office after office, referring to the bill number with insider aplomb. She is the marketing director of Buzzlife Productions, a Washington promoter.
Biden's staff has been surprised, too -- by the sudden outcry. "We thought this would be an innocuous bill that everybody would rally in support of," said Alan Hoffman, Biden's chief of staff.
After all, the bill merely adjusts the wording of the so-called crack house law. For example, crack houses are fixed indoor locations; the RAVE Act would also cover temporary outdoor venues.
So what?
"It violates the First Amendment," said Marv Johnson, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union.
Johnson argues that while there is no constitutional right to smoke crack, there is, in fact, a right to dance. Music and dance are protected forms of free expression, he said. By extending the crack house law to dance parties, the RAVE Act would discourage promoters from sponsoring this kind of art, he said.
The ACLU was caught as flat-footed as the ravers, and is seeking a senator to put a "hold" on the bill, to get it off the consent calendar and force a roll call vote.
Biden rejects the ACLU's characterization. The issue is the drugs, he said, not the music. The bill was prompted by unsuccessful prosecutions of rave promoters under the crack house law. Introducing the bill, Biden said Ecstasy is responsible for thousands of overdoses and some deaths, and its abuse by teenagers has jumped 71 percent since 1999. He said police investigations in several cities demonstrate that raves are a favorite place to buy, sell and take Ecstasy tablets.
Some promoters distribute fliers bearing pictures of pills or argot for Ecstasy such as "E" or "X" or "Rollin' " -- evidence that doing drugs is part of the purpose of those raves, Biden said. Under his bill, only promoters who stage events for that purpose would be prosecuted.
But that may not be much of a safeguard for legitimate promoters, according to the ACLU and rave advocates. The congressional findings attached to the bill bluntly state that "the trafficking and use of 'club drugs' . . . is deeply embedded in the rave culture." The findings become part of the legislative history of the bill and could support a prosecutor's claim that any rave should be suspect, Johnson said. The RAVE Act provides for civil penalties of $250,000 or twice the gross proceeds of the rave, requiring a lower burden of proof than the crack house law's criminal penalties, Johnson said.
"The way the system really works is, you arrest and accuse and then you fight it out in court," said Lonnie Fisher, president of Ultraworld Productions in Baltimore. "They could break the back of a small promoter financially."
But Grassley, in a statement yesterday, said the RAVE Act is an appropriate extension of the crack house law: "There are people who host raves so they can sell Ecstasy, just as there are people who rent houses so they can sell drugs. We've seen raves advertised as safe, alcohol-free and drug-free places for kids to socialize and dance. If this is what the promoter actually intends, then they don't have anything to worry about."
Ravers seem most offended by what they say is another smear to the reputation of their strobe-lit scene. They contend that police, politicians and media have exaggerated the amount of criminal activity in rave culture since it began more than a decade ago. There are plenty of drugs at rock shows, too, ravers claim, yet no senator has proposed a ROCK Act.
"This bill seems to imply that people go to raves to do drugs, and the music is there to accentuate the drug experience," said Luciana Lopez of Washington, who is protesting the legislation. A copy editor for a science journal, she said she neither drinks nor uses drugs -- but does wear green and blue wigs to raves.
"This culture is really important to me," she said. She described the euphoria of dancing for hours with people who may start as strangers but who by early the next morning are exchanging hugs and phone numbers. "It makes you feel part of a community," she said.
The water and the "chill rooms" are for cooling off after dancing, she said, not because so many ravers are overheated on Ecstasy. And the glow sticks look cool.
Lopez and many Washington ravers are found Friday nights at Buzz, the weekly rave party sponsored by Buzzlife at Nation, the club on Half Street SE. The cover charge is $15 before 11 p.m., $20 after, and the dancing stops at 6 a.m., according to Huie.
Three years ago, a local television station went undercover at Buzz and broadcast alleged drug use. In the welter of bad publicity, Buzz temporarily shut down. The ravers claimed the discovery of drugs was blown out of proportion. Now ravers must empty their pockets at the door, according to Huie.
Congress has taken up the issue of rave culture at least once before. A year ago, as part of a celebration of Detroit's tricentennial, the House and Senate passed a resolution congratulating the city for, among other things, helping to pioneer techno, the electronic dance music popular at raves.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
UK: Travellers face eviction powers – July 2002 Travellers face eviction powers
By BBC News - Friday, 5 July, 2002
Copyright: BBC News
Police could be given new powers against unauthorised traveller camps in what ministers are calling a "radical overhaul" of existing measures.
Travellers can currently only be evicted if there has been criminal damage or anti-social behaviour on campsites.
The new powers could be used without that condition but only in areas where local councils have provided temporary sites for regular travellers.
Ministers are planning to help councils fund new temporary camps, as well as continuing to help refurbishing existing local authority sites.
Unauthorised camps have frequently caused rows between travellers and angry local residents in many parts of the UK.
Help for local councils
Authorised council sites have also prompted planning rows.
Full details of the plans, published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Home Office, will be announced in the autumn.
The government is stressing that "tough" new police eviction powers must be linked to the availability of legal sites.
That money is set to be put forward in 2003 along with a new look to the next round of the gypsy site refurbishment programme.
The government has, however, yet to say how much money it will provide.
New national guidance is being put out on dealing with unauthorised camping.
No 'blind eye'
Ministers say those guidelines will be shaped by the views of residents, business people and farmers, as well as travellers.
A government spokesman said: "The new guidance will in particular emphasise the need for effective local strategies."
Those strategies needed to make clear where police and local councils took the lead.
Housing Minister Tony McNulty said the plans would help councils deal with the problem of unauthorised camps.
"Our strategy is balanced and fair," said Mr McNulty. "
"The same standard of behaviour of travellers should be the same as that expected of the settled community and does not mean turning a blind eye to anti-social behaviour."
Room for caravans
In January this year there were 325 local council traveller camp sites with room for more than 5,000 caravans.
The government says that national network can accommodate "just under half of gypsy caravans".
But local councils are also told to consider providing places with basic waste, water and toilet facilities where travellers who visit their areas regularly can stop.
Police recently moved on travellers from land owned by exclusive Berkshire school Eton College because they believed there had been criminal damage.
Three years ago, then Home Secretary Jack Straw was accused of racism by travellers' leaders.
Mr Straw has provoked a storm of controversy after suggesting groups of travellers were trading on a sentimental "gypsy" image while committing serious crimes.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/
UK: Rave chaos at old airfield – July 2002 Rave chaos at old airfield
By thisisdevon - 01 July 2002
Copyright: thisisdevon
Police turned away around 5,000 people from an illegal rave on a disused Devon airfield where hundreds more had camped out.
About 150 officers were drafted in over the weekend to stop the revellers, who had been drawn to the area for the Glastonbury Festival, invading Smeatharpe Airfield near Honiton.
And today police patrols were on the lookout in Somerset for travellers leaving Glastonbury and heading to the airfield.
On Saturday night police estimated around 700 people were camped out on the private land near the village.
By this morning there were still around 200 revellers and police were hoping the unofficial gathering would end later today.
They would not say whether they were planning to remove the revellers by force, but confirmed officers were still at the scene and were monitoring the situation.
New security measures at the Glastonbury Festival meant thousands of people, particularly travellers, looked for alternative venues in the South West. Two years ago the festival was overrun by gatecrashers and organisers were ordered to increase security to stop dangerous overcrowding of the site.
This year people without tickets were faced with an inpenetrable security fence and were turned away.
At the illegal gathering at Smeatharpe - which had been advertised on the internet - nine people were arrested for possession of controlled drugs, assault, obstructing a police officer, theft of a vehicle, disqualified driving and drink driving.
A van driver allegedly drove at speed towards a BBC film crew half a mile from the site.
All roads were sealed off but 200 vehicles were parked at the airfield.
Police had to remove six vehicles, including a double decker bus, for causing an obstruction.
They also received complaints from residents about noise and people in their gardens, but overall problems were described as "low-key".
A police helicopter flew over the site broadcasting a message telling people to leave.
Resident Andrew Longbottom, who lives at Rose Cottage in the lane directly alongside the airfield, feared it might become a repeat of a rave 11 years ago.
He said: "I was here 11 years ago when they smashed all my lorries up. They've already ripped the fence down and damaged some of my property.
"Its quite frightening because there is very little you can do to stop them. They are pinching property and pinching fuel.
"And there are definitely drugs. I've seen needles strewn all over the fields.
"And then there is the problem with human excrement because there are no toilets.
"The worst of it all is some of them don't just stay for the weekend. Last time an injunction had to be raised to get them to shift."
Brenda Brooks, who lives a couple of hundred yards along the road, was also concerned the ravers would get out of hand.
She said: "I do object to them being here. There is no evidence that they are aggressive yet but once they start popping too many pills who knows what will happen."
Other residents though were less concerned.
Richard Price, who lives 400 yards away from the rave site, said: "It can be a bit noisy but they generally keep themselves to themselves. My only concern is how they leave the site. If they leave it clean I'm happy for them to be here."
Farmer Keith Sparks, who farms a mile from the site at Churchingford, said: "It feels like we have been invaded.
"It's all right if these things are organised properly, but this has caught us on the hop."
Mr Sparks said the travellers had parked their vehicles on the narrow lanes, making it difficult for his tractor and trailer to pass.
Some travellers drove down his private farm lane, cut through a padlock and drove into one of his fields in a bid to get to the site without encountering the police blockade.
He added: "I had livestock in those fields and they left the gate open.
"They had moved an old dung spreader to get through.
"My son and I did not want to confront them on our own, so we asked the police to help.
"I have lived here all my life and remember the last rave, but it wasn't as serious as this."
One of the ravers, Jim Thompson, who had travelled down from Bristol and came to Smeatharpe after failing to get into Glastonbury Festival, said: "We're only here to party and enjoy ourselves. I don't see why people object. Most of us are peace-loving and we just want a good time."
Most of the ravers learned about the Devon event on a website. Buzz Pritchard, from Cheltenham, said: "It's an alternative to Glastonbury and we found out about it on the web. I think the police presence is just making things worse. What's the point of sealing off the roads when we can just park elsewhere and walk over fields and through rivers to get here."
Police press liaison officer Sergeant Dave Anning said: "Our primary concern is public safety. There are no facilities or even toilets down there. But over 100,000 people have been turned away from Glastonbury and we want to prevent them using this site as an alternative."
Police have the powers to remove people from the site under legislation introduced in the 1990s designed to outlaw similar raves and large gatherings.
http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/index.jsp
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