How UK Ravers Raged Against the Ban
The 1994 Criminal Justice Act is responsible for the club culture we know today.
As far as bizarrely vindictive legislation goes, Section 63 of the 1994 Criminal Justice Act is up there with any other needlessly discriminatory British law. Giving police the power to shut down events featuring music that’s “characterised by the emission of a succession of repetitive beats”, the clause was aimed unequivocally at one particular glass-eyed, cheek-chewing threat to the nation’s youth: the UK’s illegal rave scene.
https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/vd8gbj/anti-rave-act-protests-20th-anniversary-204

Revolt of the Ravers – The Movement against the Criminal Justice Act in Britain 1993-95
It is twenty years since the British government first announced that it was bringing in new laws to prevent free parties and festivals. The legislation that ended up as the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 prompted a mass movement of defiance with long lasting and sometimes unexpected consequences.
https://datacide-magazine.com/revolt-of-the-ravers-the-movement-against-the-criminal-justice-act-in-britain-1993-95/

Riot police fail to disperse unlicensed street parties anwhere in London – Harrow Road/Riverton Close, in Maida Hill, Newham, Kingston, West Kilburn, Clapham Common and Brixton
In another night of tension between police and Londoners, officers were called to a number of illegal raves across the capital
By Sam Truelove Senior reporter 10:23, 27 JUN 2020
https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/riot-police-pelted-bottles-missiles-18498729
Hundreds of people attended a handful of unlicensed music events across London in another night where police were attacked by revellers.
Riot police were reportedly pelted with bottles and other missiles as they attempted to disperse crowds in West London, while around 300 youths were seen drinking and listening to music in Kingston.

One man was arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm after police were called to a block party in Newham.
Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, says “consequences will follow” for those who attack officers and damage property as she promised to continue to shut down illegal parties in the capital.
Below are all the unlicensed music events that we are aware of which happened on Friday night (June 26).

Harrow Road/Riverton Close, in Maida Vale
Hundreds of people attended a block party in Harrow Road, West London (Image: Charlie Jones)
Police were first called to Harrow Road, in the area between Maida Hill and West Kilburn, to reports of an unlicensed music event at 3pm.
Reports on social media suggested hundreds of youths and young adults were at the event, with videos showing the group in a stand off with officers in riot equipment near a block of flats.
One video appears to show riot police being pelted with bottles and other missiles as they attempted to disperse the crowds.
MyLondon journalist Charlie Jones was reporting live from the party and said: “Violence started earlier tonight as police tried to break up a party just off the Harrow Road in West London.”
He added at 11.40pm: “Harrow Road party has moved a few streets down. Officers haves blocked most entrances. MC is saying three minutes left, suggests the police have given an end time.
“We’ve been on the last song for about 20 minutes now at Harrow Road party. Police still in position blocking main entrance/ exit with a hard line – no one let through.”
At some point during the evening, the party seemed to move to Riverton Close with the large group continuing to play music and congregate until the early hours.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said no arrests were made: “Police are responding to an unlicensed music event on Harrow Road, W9. Officers were called to the location around 3pm following concerns from residents.
“Officers engaged with the attendees, who refused to leave the location.
“Following engagement within the local community we are hopeful that crowds are dispersing. No arrests.
“A section 60 has been authorised in the vicinity until 6pms on Saturday, June 27. Officers will remain in the area in order to provide reassurance.”

Newham
One man was arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm after a gun was allegedly found at a block party in Newham.
Police were called to Hoskins Close at 4.49pm to reports of a large gathering of people who were setting up a sound system.
When officers arrived, a suspected firearm was discovered.
The crowds were dispersed and the man was taken into custody.
A spokesperson for the Met said: “A man has been arrested and a firearm has been seized following reports of a large gathering in Newham.
“Police were called to Hoskins Close, E16 at 4.49pm to a report of a large gathering of people who were setting up a sound system.
“Officers attended and dispersed the crowd, they remained on scene and a suspected firearm was discovered, it was immediately seized.
“Following enquiries in the area, a suspect was identified and was arrested for possession of a firearm. Officers remain in the area.”

Kingston
Around 300 people attended an unlicensed music event in Kingston Riverside and Kingston town centre on Friday night.
More than 50 police officers were called to the area at 11pm to disperse the group.
It was the second time in 24 hours police were called to Kingston Riverside, with more than 200 people seen “drinking alcohol and playing loud music” on Thursday night (June 25).
A spokesperson for the Met said on Saturday morning: “At approx 11pm last night, over 50 officers from Emergency Response Team A, other South West BCU teams and Met Task Force enforced the dispersal order for Kingston town centre. Approx 250-300 people were removed from Kingston Riverside and the town centre.
“A dispersal order, issued under Section 35 of the Police and Crime Act 2014 remains in place until 12.29am [on] Sunday, June 29. This gives police the power to direct people to leave the area and not return within 48 hours. Anyone breaching this direction can be arrested.”

West Kilburn
Hundreds of people were spotted on Parry Road in West Kilburn on Friday evening listening to music.
Videos posted on social media show revellers listening to the loud music at around 12am.
It’s understood the group moved from Parry Road to near Lynford Community Hall at some point during the evening.
A spokesperson for the Met said: “In response to the on going incident on Parry Road, W10 we have our eyes in the sky monitoring.”

Clapham Common
Reports on social media suggest around 500 people were spotted on Clapham Common late on Friday night.
Again, loud music was being played through a sound system.
One person said on Twitter: “Clapham Common has 500 yuppies partying with a sound system. I don’t care except that 1 mile down the road is Brixton, where riot police turn up to shut down much smaller parties.”
Another tweeted at 12.40am: “People are still in Clapham Common park at this time. Bloody foxes.”

Brixton
Police respond to the unlicensed music event in Blenheim Gardens, Brixton (Image: @MPSWestminster)
It’s understood there was an unlicensed music event on Blenheim Gardens, Brixton. on Friday night.
Police were called at around 12am and remained at the scene throughout the night.
A spokesperson for the Met said: “Public Order Trained Officers are on scene at Blenheim Gardens, W11 along with @NPASSouthEast dealing with an incident. We apologise for any inconvenience caused but we are worked to bring the event to a safe conclusion.”

What have police said?
The Metropolitan Police Commissioner says “consequences will follow” for those who attack officers and damage property as she promised to shut down illegal parties in London over the weekend.
Cressida Dick writes in The Sun that it has been a “very difficult week” in the capital, with officers coming under attack as they tried to break up crowds.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick has promised to shut down illegal parties in London (Image: John Stillwell/PA Wire)
The commissioner said: “The officers I met this week were poised to deal with whatever they faced. Hundreds ready in full kit, should there be a violent or aggressive crowd to deal with.
“My message to those involved in thuggery and criminal damage is consequences will follow.”
The top officer earlier said the force had a “duty” to stop unlawful music events during the Covid-19 pandemic and vowed: “We will be prepared this weekend.”
She suggested the number of police injuries is now “heading up to 140-odd officers” in the past three weeks, including those hurt during protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd in the US.
The commissioner said: “We have seen some large numbers of people completely flouting the health regulations, seeming not to care at all about their own or their families’ health and wanting to have large parties.
“It is hot. Some people have drunk far too much. Some people are just angry and aggressive and some people are plain violent.
“We will be prepared this weekend. We have officers all over London working hard again to try to keep the peace and to protect our public from violence and disorder.”

Planet of the Humans censored: “We got a lot of money invested in this ride, it HAS to be real…”

1h 40m documentary here for now https://vimeo.com/423114384

By Matthew Carey May 26, 2020       Facebook    Twitter      Print      Email     Show more sharing options

Michael Moore and Jeff Gibbs’ controversial documentary Planet of the Humans has been removed from YouTube, where it was streaming for free – a move the pair calls a ‘blatant act of censorship.’

EP Moore and writer-producer Gibbs told Deadline they discovered today that their film, which has racked more than 8.3 million views in a month-plus, was taken down from YouTube after a copyright claim was lodged against the documentary over four seconds of footage it contains.

‘This attempt to take down our film and prevent the public from seeing it is a blatant act of censorship by political critics of Planet of the Humans,’ Gibbs said in a statement provided exclusively to Deadline (read it below). ‘It is a misuse of copyright law to shut down a film that has opened a serious conversation about how parts of the environmental movement have gotten into bed with Wall Street and so-called ‘green capitalists.’ There is absolutely no copyright violation in my film.’

Michael Moore-Backed ‘Planet Of The Humans’ Extends YouTube Run, Reports 8M Views

The four-second clip subject to the copyright right claim comes 37 minutes into the documentary, in a sequence titled ‘How Solar Panels & Wind Turbines Are Made.’ The footage shows a mining operation for rare earth metals, which are used in wind turbine manufacture. Gibbs says he incorporated the footage under ‘fair use,’ an exception to copyright law that allows news reporters, producers and documentary filmmakers limited access to copyrighted material to illustrate points.

British environmental photographer Toby Smith tweeted over the weekend that he shot the footage in question for an unrelated documentary project. In a since-deleted post to his verified Twitter account, Smith dismissed Planet of the Humans as ‘bull-shit’ and suggested it was filled with ‘endless’ copyright infringements in addition to his own material. He told a British publication it was he who filed the copyright infringement claim with YouTube.

YouTube automatically notifies content creators of any copyright infringement accusation lodged against them and provides a dispute adjudication process. A representative for Moore and Gibbs confirmed the filmmakers formally contacted YouTube to deny the infringement claim, citing fair use.

‘We are working with YouTube to resolve this issue,’ Gibbs wrote in his statement, ‘and have the film back up as soon as possible.’

In the meantime, Moore and Gibbs have made their documentary available for free on the Vimeo streaming platform.

Moore posted Planet of the Humans to YouTube on the eve of Earth Day last month. The film argues that purported ‘green solutions’ to fossil fuels offer a false promise of saving the planet from environmental collapse caused by global warming, over-consumption and resource depletion. Gibbs insists the environmental movement must address population growth and mass consumption if it is to have any real impact on what he sees as an apocalyptic scenario. The film also raises questions about possible financial conflicts of interest among leading environmentalists who back green energy, including former Vice President Al Gore and Bill McKibben, co-founder of 350.org.

The documentary, especially coming from the unassailably left-wing Moore and Gibbs and not righ-twing climate-change deniers, was bound to provoke a strong reaction. Among the environmental champions leading the charge against Planet of the Humans has been Josh Fox, the Oscar-nominated director of Gasland. Fox led an earlier campaign on Twitter to get the docu ‘retracted by its creators and distributors,’ calling the film ‘shockingly misleading and absurd.’

The effort by Fox triggered its own backlash, with the writers organization PEN America labeling it attempted censorship. In his statement to Deadline, Gibbs once against decried any attempt to keep the film from reaching the public.

Here is Gibbs’ full statement to Deadline:

This attempt to take down our film and prevent the public from seeing it is a blatant act of censorship by political critics of Planet of the Humans. It is a misuse of copyright law to shutdown a film that has opened a serious conversation about how parts of the environmental movement have gotten into bed with Wall Street and so-called ‘green capitalists.’ There is absolutely no copyright violation in my film. This is just another attempt by the film’s opponents to subvert the right to free speech.

Opponents of Planet of the Humans, who do not like its critique of the failures of the environmental movement, have worked for weeks to have the film taken down and to block us from appearing on TV and on livestream. Their efforts to subvert free speech have failed, with nearly eight and a half million people already viewing the film on YouTube. These Trumpian tactics are shameful, and their aim to stifle free speech and prevent people from grappling with the uncomfortable truths exposed in this film is deeply disturbing.

PEN America, which was founded in 1922 and fights for the free speech of artists in the U.S. and around the world, came out strongly and denounced the initial attempt to censor this film, and we hope all champions of free expression condemn this act of censorship. We are working with YouTube to resolve this issue and have the film back up as soon as possible.’