Norwich Party Closes After Negotiations With The Police

Courtesy of Derek Williams

Total respect to the Norwich crew for what happened on Saturday night!

It's a long story, which I don't know all of, but basically things were all set for a multi rig bash at an establi-shed site, but that afternoon the land owner turned up with some "mates" and "asked" them not to do the party. Think large people willing to do damage.

So the party was called off.

Now, just about everyone knew the party was planned - everyone I'd talked to last week knew about it. So an alternative venue was found - right in the middle of town. It was never going to be allowed by the plod, it didn't stand a chance.

So we got there around midnight, an old car showroom with music pounding out, just as the plod arrived. We had a short chat to Nigel (one of the travelers from the first site) outside and then tried to go in, but the police by this time had started containment and were blocking the entrance. All four of them. So the four of us stand there looking at the four of them and I realise the plod I'm starting at is scared, like really frightened. As we stand there of course, others are joining the queue. One of our number wants to go to a local shop anyway, so we back down, I smile at the plod who blurts out some kind of "thanks for the co-operation" and we go to the shop as a flood of people turn up to join the queue.

A short trip to the shop and we come back, two plod vans now but no containment, music still pumping so we go in.

As the party continues, plod come in with some of the organisers, they have a poke around with a fire offi-cer and go out again. A bit later I wonder out to see what's going down and over hear an amazing conver-sation between plod, fire officer and squatters. "Well organised event..." "responsible behaviour" "reasonable attitude" and from the squatters "these things are going to happen, better we do them..." then the plod left. The party shut down at three, or the music did anyway. We stayed for another half hour or so and people were sitting around toking and playing drums, there was no eviction, the shut down was agreed (3 is when the clubs shut). There were no plod to be seen as we left.

Derek