Thursday 9 December 2010

Free party is not a crime – or is it? 

Part 2 – The beginnings


As I mentioned before, the movement has been started by a sound system called Spiral Tribe. It existed in the first half of the 1990's and became active again in 2007. The group originated in London and traveled across the whole European continent and North America. From 1990 until 1992, Spiral Tribe were responsible for numerous parties in indoor and outdoor locations. Their largest and most famous party was the Castlemorton Common Festival free party in 1992. Thirteen members of the group were arrested immediately after the event and were subsequently charged with public order offences.Their trial became one of the longest and most expensive cases in British legal history, lasting four months and costing the UK £4 million. In March 1993, after being acquitted of all charges relating to Castlemorton, the collective decided to move to Europe, doing parties in cities such as Rotterdam, Paris and Berlin. Over the next few years, the collective organised parties and teknivals throughout Europe, then it slowly dispersed with some members taking up residence in Germany and Holland and releasing work on Labworks and many other techno labels. Individual members of the collective joined other sound systems, did squat art events or pursued other interests. Most of their music was released on the famous Network 23 label.


An interesting point is that the group was obsessed by the number 23. Images for musical releases, posters, backdrops and flyers featured the number 23. Parties were often organised on the twenty-third day of the month. Members sometimes recorded under the moniker of SP23, and the record label itself was called Network 23.



23 minute warning – History of Spiral Tribe



Castlemorton Free Party


Problems to discuss:

1. Do you think that the court should have penalized Spiral Tribe's activity ?

2. Why did the country try to fight the movement? Share your opinion.

8 comments:

  1. 1. I think that it is ok and courts shouldn't penalize such kind of activity. In my opinion they don't make any problems and they have their own laws.
    2. I don't have any idea why they fight the movement. The only idea that comes to my mind is that they have a lot of free time, they are bored and looking for some problems.

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  2. I don't know the case so I can't judge the case, that is the courts job.

    The country fight the movement, or government?
    I can only imagine that this party was illegal, so politicians could thing it can grow to something dangerous like massive fight, maybe including some deaths. Thing how public would react if something bad happened and who would be responsible for that.

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  3. In my opinion, the movement draws government and police attention because of the fact that its participants create some alternative space. Anything alternative is not particularly supported by those who rule as it is a form of competition to what they propose and do.

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  4. I think that it was good that authorities paid attention to that case. As you said before there had been a lot of anarchist so there was a possibility that party could become some kind of manifestation what requires some permissions.
    In my opinion this case has made that society feel so integrated.

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  5. Why did the country try to fight the movement? Share your opinion.

    Well, from political science point of view, state will always try to control all areas which completly are out of authority, it's natural. Sometimes justly, sometimes not. And not only when given country is Bielarus or Cuba. It's good that in democratic countries we have a lot of legal measures to prevent country from extending it's area of influence.

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  6. 1. In my opinion if Spiral Tribe's activity doesn't do anything wrong they shouldn't be penalized.
    2. I don't know exactly why country try to fight with them. They are alternative and independent movement, so maybe for control?

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  7. 1) They for me ok. So far they never interfered me. As long as it does not change they are neutral for me.
    2) I never heard something that someone try to fight with them. So I not see a problem.

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  8. Maybe they didn't do anything wrong, but mass events are always dangerous, because they quickly can get out of control.

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