Part 3 – Police clashes
Since the times of the Spiral Tribe, free parties have been attracting police interventions. There are several reasons for that. A view of a free party with its huge wall of speakers and people dancing to loud and repetitive music is often beyond the comprehension abilities of people who never saw such view before. Police often looks for a person in charge to get to know what is going on. Usually policemen do not believe that there is no organisation cell at such party and that all members contribute equally to the fact that the party takes place. Reactions are different – sometimes police stops the party, arrests some of its participants, confiscates the sound system's equipment. Some argue that the level of loudness is much too high; they claim that they receive complains from the villages near the party. Sometimes, they just watch the party from a distance with a plan to intervene if something is happening. Some policemen notice that the atmosphere at the party is friendly and there is no need to act with aggression to stop it, others don't.
Police brutality at Czechtek teknival 2005
A well known free tekno track
Problems to discuss:
1. Do you think that the legal regulations (eg. in Poland) should be changed in a way that would totally ban free parties?
2. Can you think of any ways in which a free party could be beneficial to both its participants and people from the outside? Or do you think it causes losses of any kind?
1. I think that our law is ok and there is no reason to change it. Anyway I do not understand all this confusion about free parties. Like for me it is very good and if poeple do not make any problem it should be legall.
ReplyDelete2. What kind of loss could it generate? I don't see any. I think this kind of parties should be available for all people.
If people wanna dance to that “music”, so be it. I've never seen party like this, and it doesn't bother me at all. Maybe they really generate to much noise for local people, and some time police stop it – maybe not always in polite ways, but they are famous for it.
ReplyDeleteIf you ask me, if I wanna go to party like those I would say hell no :)
It's great to see people dancing on the street etc. I love old rap movies showing so called block parties which consisted of someone with speakers and large groups of people dancing to the music. It's amazing how great this should have been. Probably most of today's street art comes from that.
ReplyDeleteI share the opinion that Poland should never change its legal regulations to ban this kind of activity. I would even say it would be nice to support it somehow. Free parties are beneficial to its participants as they see that they can do many things by themselves. That they can create culture and free space around them. It is much more creative than going to a club (for instance).
ReplyDeleteI can understand why police does it but I don't fully support it. That parties looks weird - bunch of half-naked people are "dancing" in a strange way to the strange music (which doesn't sound too friendly:)) I think that police actions are additional attraction to party participants and gives adrenaline boost (particularly to anarchist part of "dancers:)). yet, it wouldn't take so much additional effort to peacefully describe village people (or even authorities) what is going on- i know that free-party would loose its "mission" than.
ReplyDeleteSecond thing are the rubbish - just look how they clutter up the place! So if there isn't any organisation behind who would clean it up? I'm pretty sure that after party they just take theirs tents and go away leaving this mess. Enforcing fair infrastructure is a good reason for police to interfere.
ReplyDeleteI belive that free parties could be beneficial to other people or local community. But free party has to respect local area (eg. to inform citizens about event or just simply respect others needs) or try tu engage locals into party.
ReplyDeleteI think that the legal regulations should be changed in a way that would totally ban free parties. Why? Our lives would be much more interesting, merrier. I think a free party could be beneficial to both its participants and people from the outside. But not allways. For example we should take into account kids. These issues should be regulated.
ReplyDeleteAs we can see the police is sometimes overreacting. But on the other hand they are just people like us. Big parties should be carefully planned in cooperation with the police and other institutions. We have the right to have fun, but we should remember that our freedom ends where we violate the freedom of others.
ReplyDelete