Posted: 22 August 2005 at 1:02pm | IP Logged

i'm quite sure that utah is the most backwards state in the u.s.

can't even get a drink with more than 3% alcohol... beautiful scenery, shame about the lifestyle (and enforcement thereof).

Posted: 22 August 2005 at 2:04pm | IP Logged

Sounds nasty mate.  That video should get spread about.

US law enforcement can be a real joke sometimes.  What the hell do they know about freedom?

----

I've done some digging and located some video evidence of the moment when the army raided the party.  It shows a number of people being assaulted by soldiers.

Link to video clip

Posted: 22 August 2005 at 7:40pm | IP Logged

Another DJ playing that night has been quoted with this...

"Last night was one of the worst nights of my life. I am still incredibly shaken up by what happened ....enough to the point of where I'm still having problems talking about it. So i will tell you my side in a few words then link you to a more detailed version of how Knick explains it .


I was playing in Salt Lake City about 1 hour away at a massive outdoor event. 700 presold tickets, and by 11:20, there were 1400 kids there already.... all in all total expected... 3 - 4k. This was an all drum and bass event, held on private land, with an amazing view of the mountains surrounding us. This event was fully contracted with the city. They had all permits, a huge insurance policy and they were paying taxes. you have to know this is because of what happened next. And in NO MEANS is this story exaggerated. word for word this is what happened.

It was 1145... i had 30 min before my set, so i was running around lookin at the mountains and the people dancing, laughing , the crazy visiuls they even had prjecting on the mountains. i will share photos once i can see them. All of the sudden a helicopter comes in with massive spot lights .. all on the people circling everyone ... and within minutes like out of some f**kin movie , soldiers with guns (f**king rifles )come in out of the grass, like some vietnam sh*t. The police in full riot gear come in, big trucks ... next thing you know they are throwing tear gas at people, setting dogs on people, arresting kids. 4 big guys on one dnb fan kicking him down tieing his hands .... making kids sit in the dirt with their hands tied all in a line, now you must remember in this whole time NO ONE was resisting arrest or making a big deal, everyone peaceful started to walk out... but yet they were throwin tear gas... it gets worst ... but whats even more f**ked up is hundreds of kids on drugs driving home on the freeway while they were just in major trauma.

i still cant even figure out what the hell happened, the promoter called me to make sure me knick and spor were ok and i broke down crying.. couldnt breath, i was freaking out ..... why? Is this what our f**kin country has come to .... a point of someone making a fully legal show and STILL getting busted for WHAT?????? What did 3000 kids on private land in the mountains near NOTHIING .. do to ANYONE?

The promoters have a massive lawsuit and they have so much evidence against the county that its not even funny, I will be present to testify against these f**kin pigs. And if you think this matter is a joke then all i have to say is . I didnt belive it until i had gas thrown at me. I am going to make sure i keep you all posted on this, and let you know if theres a way any of you can help."
-DJ SYZE

Posted: 22 August 2005 at 9:21pm | IP Logged

This is a disgusting violation of freedom and human rights perpetrated by the American state.  I hope that the news stories will run tonight or soon as promised/planned by the networks they have been speaking too.

However, I think there will be the usual media blackout that usually surrounds events like this.

The 404audio thread with quote from a DJ who flew in to play there.

http://www.404audio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14814

Quote: - One of the promoters friends (a very small female) was attacked by one of the police dogs. As she struggled to get away from it, the police tackled her. 3 grown men proceeded to KICK HER IN THE STOMACH. - The police confiscated 3 video tapes in total. People were trying to document what was happening out there. The police saw one guy filming and ran after him, tackled him and his camera fell, and luckily.. his friend grabbed it and ran and got away. priceless footage. That's not all though. Out of 1,500 people, there's sure to be more footage. - The police were rounding up the staff of the party and the main promoter went up to them with the permit for the show and said "here, I have the permit." The police then said, "no you don't" and ripped the permit out of his hand. Then, they put an assault rifle to his forehead and said "get the f**k out of here right now."

More info directly from Utah http://www.utrave.org/ 

http://www.utrave.org/showthread.php?t=20170 for a thread full of links to news on this incident.

Posted: 23 August 2005 at 9:40pm | IP Logged

They won't win the lawsuit.

Sorry to be so negative, but they won't win. Remind me to tell you (one day) about the 1984 miners' strike here in the UK that I was involved in. It's a long story, but there's a lot of correlation between that and what happened in Utah.

The Bush state is now absolute. It is all powerful, and cannot realistically be challenged. We are all f**ked. Both in the UK and in the US. Other countries will suffer by default. Some will be invaded and annexed, their citizens subject to wholesale butchery.

There's not a lot left for us but to live out what years we have left trying to make our own little bit of space in the world, and doing the bit of good that we can. The world is doomed, and frankly I want no part of it. There's no salvation...unless the million to one shot happens...with some sort of benign alien intervention.....not bloody likely!

For all that, the police brutality your post described in such vivid and ghastly detail is nothing new. The same scenario was repeated time after time in the 60s, 70s 80s, on demonstrations, free concerts....etc. etc.

The difference is that back then there was a sense of hope. A sense that it really was 'us and them' battling against the fascists, with the belief that even if we were beaten down, somehow it would serve our cause, make us stronger, bring clarity to exactly what we were fighting against.

That hope is now gone, in the cold days of dearth that follow in the wake of the neo Nazis who hold the world in an iron grip..of which Bush is simply a representative, or avatar.

Posted: 24 August 2005 at 2:24am | IP Logged

I and many others share your sentiments about how the lawsuit will go.  I'm glad they're trying to stand up and fight for it, but I don't see them winning.  Because the cops carry more weight with them in a court room.  Especially when they start talking about the undercover agents who bought mara juana and ecstacy.

But the thing is, go to any concert for any band and you can find illegal drugs there.  So I don't know why they have to crack down on the rave/electronica culture.

As for how bad the world state or government is, I don't know.  I'm not one who's huge on politics to begin with.  I just hope it doesn't get much worse.  We can only hope it can get better.