Rules/Fines and Arrests
Since the start of the lockdowns this summer free parties have still been happening, in fact they became more and more common over the past few months. People wanted things to do, the lockdowns made it difficult for anyone to do anything with the restrictions that have been put in place. Pubs, clubs and festivals have been put on hold, so the people took to organising they're own events, which meant more illegal raves.
However due to the Covid outbreak things have become more tight, more strict you could say, to keep the safety of people in place, laws and restrictions have changed, police are coming out in force, fines are being issued and people are being arrested. The virus has had an impact on all major events, nobody knows for how long for, it can be rather unsettling to people, especially people who are in the events business.
I have been researching the new laws and offences that have been put in play for people who have organised or attended events.
On the 23rd of August 2020 it was said by the government that people that are found to be the organisers of illegal raves are facing up to £10,000 fines.
"Police in England will be able to fine organisers of illegal gatherings of more than 30 people such as raves up to £10,000 from Friday, ministers say."
People who attend gatherings and people that do not where a mask where they have to, can be issued fines up for £100.
"Those who attend gatherings and those who do not wear face coverings where it is mandatory can be given a £100 fine, doubling on each offence up to £3,200."https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53877683
"Eight people have been arrested after police shut down an illegal Halloween rave in Yate."
From the articles I have found, it states that the organiser of the event in Yate was arrested and fined 10,000.
"The organiser of a rave which attracted 700 people has been fined £10,000 for breaching coronavirus restrictions."
“Avon and Somerset Police said a man in his 30s was arrested as he tried to take away some of the sound equipment the day after the event.
The man, who was later identified as the organiser, has been given the maximum fine possible.”
"Police have appealed for help in identifying 38 people who attended an illegal Halloween rave in Yate." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-55046870
An article was written on Sunday the 27th of December and released on sky news. In an illegal rave in Manchester a 17 and 18 year old were fined £1000 each.
The article states:
"Two teenagers have been issued fines of £1,000 and a man has been arrested after police were called to an illegal Boxing Day rave in Manchester.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) received reports of a large gathering and loud music in empty flats in the Shudehill area of the city at around 4:20am on Sunday.
Officers attended an address on Hanover Street, where they dispersed a gathering of around 100 people and seized music equipment.
The teenage males that received £1,000 fines were aged 17 and 18.
A 27-year-old man was also arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence, and he remains in custody for questioning. He was also given a fixed penalty notice of £200.
Police said that those at the rave were not just from Manchester, but from across the North West.
Chief Inspector Colin MacDiarmid, of the force's City of Manchester division, said: "There is no denying the blatant breach of COVID legislation that took place here last night, and enquiries are ongoing to ensure the organisers of this gathering are held accountable for their unacceptable actions." https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-two-teenagers-fined-and-man-arrested-at-illegal-rave-12173721
I have found more evidence suggesting that the organisers of illegal raves have been fined the maximum of £10,000 on The Telegraph.
Another article I have found on the BBC News website states that fire more people have been arrested in Thetford, Norfolk, at an illegal rave. The article was written on the 31st of August which was only a few days after it had been said that officers could now issue fines up to 10,000.
"Five people have been arrested and fined in connection with a forest rave attended by more than 500 people.
More than 100 officers were deployed to break up the unlicensed music event in Thetford Forest, Norfolk, on Saturday at 23:20 BST.
Officers shut down the rave by 18:30 on Sunday.
Since Friday police in England have been able to fine organisers of illegal gatherings of more than 30 people - such as raves - up to £10,000.
Officers seized audio equipment, generators, a rig and a large flatbed lorry which was used to transport the equipment to the forest.
Police said five people were arrested - three were issued with £100 fines at the scene while two were taken in custody and later fined £100."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-53972279
I have found yet another article, on Echo, written on the 22nd of November 2020, stating that five people were arrested and twelve more people were fined in High Road, North Weald in an abandoned farm.
The article reads:
“Five people were arrested and 12 fines were handed out as police shut down an unlicensed music event, as the force continued to crack down on Covid-19 rule breakers.
Officers were called to the event in High Road, North Weald following the event branded as a clear and blatant breach of the Government’s Covid-19 regulations - by police.
They found an unlicensed music event taking place in an abandoned farm building and took action to break it up and disperse those there.”
The article also stated that the police had seized the equipment.As you can see from the many articles I have found using different sources such as the BBC, ITV and Echo that it is no joke that the police have the authority to issue out the fines, arrest people and seize the equipment. It has become more frequent this year because of the new Coronavirus Act that has been put into place.
The Coronavirus Act: The Coronavirus Act is a new act that has been brought out by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act allows the government power which will be put in place to handle the COVID-19 Pandemic.
"The act allows the government the discretionary power to limit or suspend public gatherings, to detain individuals suspected to be infected by COVID-19, and to intervene or relax regulations in a range of sectors to limit transmission of the disease, ease the burden on public health services, and assist healthcare workers and the economically affected"
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