Police criticised for "attacking" attendees at a rave in Dorset
Police arrested 11 people after shutting down the unlicensed music event near East Lulworth on Sunday
Dorset Police has been criticised for using “unethical violence” against attendees of an illegal rave this weekend.
In a statement, Dorset Police said they first received reports of the event, which took place at a beauty spot near East Lulworth, at 23:45PM on Saturday (April 4). The force claims it took officers "nearly 24 hours" to disperse the 2000-strong crowd and over 100 vehicles.
Dorset Police Assistant Chief Constable Steve Lyne said the force “came under attack from missiles” and “faced a violent and hostile reception” as it seized equipment and shut down nearby roads.
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11 arrests were made for offences including "assault on an emergency worker" and "driving under the influence." More than 100 vehicles were at the scene, Dorset police said.
However, several videos posted across social media appear to show scores of officers arriving at the unlicensed event, before dragging and hitting ravers, many with head injuries caused by forces on the scene
Attendee Zak Hanman told BBC News that Dorset Police officers had used unreasonable force against attendees, questioning their version of events: “the violence they used was unethical, it was unhuman-like and it was just not needed.”
Hanman details that ravers did not begin to throw missiles at the police “until they were hitting people, attacking people,” claiming he witnessed an officer “hit this guy with a baton, even when he was on the floor.”
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“Yes, people were taking drugs, yes, people were drunk, but that doesn't mean beat them up,” he continues. “Any human in their right mind can see that it was just not called for.”
In a statement provided to BBC News in response to Hanman's claims, Dorset Police said: “This event caused significant disruption to local communities and we took appropriate and proportionate action to bring it to a safe conclusion."
"While responding to the incident involving a large number of people, our officers came under attack from missiles and faced a violent and hostile reception," the statement continues. "Violence in our communities and against our officers will not be tolerated."
[Via: BBC News]
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