On behalf of residents, the South Downs MP raised the incident with the Sussex Police Chief Constable early on Sunday and the police stood up an operation involving resources from multiple forces which closed down the event, arrested the organisers, confiscated equipment and arrested many drug drivers.
Raves, or Unlicensed Music Events (UMEs), may seem like harmless gatherings of music lovers, but they are far from victimless. These unauthorized events take place on private land without safety regulations, putting attendees, farm animals, nature and surrounding communities at significant risk.
Without fire safety checks, emergency medical services, or crowd control measures, people are vulnerable to injury, overdose, or even death. Drug use is often widespread at these events, contributing to medical emergencies that organisers make no provision for – on site first aiders or even clear access for ambulances to get to young people overdosing for example.
This event took place in a remote, agricultural location. Not all livestock will yet have given birth, and the stress induced could lead to still births as well as the litter and destruction of habitats.
Rave organizers profit from ticket sales and drug distribution without contributing to the local economy or paying for necessary licenses. This creates unfair competition for those venues that do follow legal guidelines and invest in safety, staff, and infrastructure.
Andrew Griffith MP, Member of Parliament for the rural location where the illegal rave took place said: “I commend Sussex Police on the way they dealt firmly with this illegal rave in a remote rural area, sending a message about their willingness to keep West Sussex free of such criminality. The organised criminal gangs behind such events try to fool people that these are harmless fun, but the damage is very real from supporting drug trafficking to environmental harm. Licensed venues in cities like Brighton, Chichester and Portsmouth provide safe places for people to enjoy themselves and they need all the business they can get.”