Police shut down 600-person illegal rave at abandoned factory in Bristol
Four people between the ages of 15 and 61 were arrested at the rave, with offences ranging from assault to drug possession
A 600-person illegal rave at an abandoned factory in Bristol was shut down over the weekend, according to local police.
Avon and Somerset Police reported that hundreds of people attended an unlicensed event at a disused factory on Poplar Way, Avonmouth, on Saturday, May 17. Police received reports of an event going ahead at around 9:10PM, and on attendance, found the rave “well underway”.
The event continued through the night until 8:AM on Sunday morning (May 18), despite “monitored” police presence, before coming to a “safe conclusion” in the morning.
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According to Avon and Somerset Police, four people between the ages of 15 and 61 were arrested following the illegal rave, and music equipment was seized.
A 15-year-old girl was arrested on suspicion of assaulting emergency workers, while an 18-year-old man was also arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker, and being in possession of class B drugs.
Two more men, aged 30 and 61, were arrested on suspicion of “aggravated trespass”, failure to leave land, drug possession, and several other suspected crimes. All four arrested have been bailed.
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“To force hundreds of people to leave when it was dark, and many were likely intoxicated, could have made this situation more dangerous, which would have been a risk,” said Chief Inspector Karen Corrigan. “We were able to deploy resources to bring the event to a conclusion without anyone being seriously harmed.”
In late 2023, it was reported that over 2,000 people attended a rave at a warehouse on Poplar Way in Avonmouth. Those in attendance took to Reddit to share their experiences after the event, with one writing: “Was an absolute belter of a party! Good vibes all night!”. Another wrote: “Probably best rave I’ve ever been to”.
Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor, follow her on Twitter