Officers Injured in Rave Clashes

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Officers Injured in Rave Clashes

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Violence flared as police tried to break up an illegal rave involving up to 600 revellers on farmland in Essex.

Police said an officer suffered a severed fingertip, a patrol car was burnt out and missiles were thrown during clashes at Great Chesterford.

Nine officers were hurt, with injuries including head wounds, a leg wound and a fractured hand, Essex Police said.

Describing what he saw, one reveller told BBC News that the police were in riot gear and were "heavy-handed".

"They came and surrounded the first sound system and then got closer and closer until it turned into a proper confrontation and they started beating people," he said.

He claimed that one person had an eye injured during a clash.

Essex Police did not respond to the claims. An Essex Ambulance Service spokesman confirmed that two party-goers were taken to hospital, one with an eye injury.

At one point 40 revellers attempted to cross the nearby M11 motorway on foot, police said.

Emergency roadblocks were erected and the motorway speed limit reduced to 40mph while the situation was brought under control.

Forces from Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Hertfordshire were involved in the operation.

The landowner had not given permission for the party and it had no entertainment licence.

An Essex Police spokeswoman said police were still clearing the site on Sunday morning.

Missiles thrown

She said: "Police have powers under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act to take positive action against such events.

"Public safety and upholding the law were paramount, so Essex Police mounted a controlled operation throughout yesterday to clear the site.

"This involved initially blocking the entrance to the farm to ensure that no more people joined the event."

The officer with the severed fingertip was treated at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, while two others were taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.

Source: BBC News

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Describing what he saw, one reveller told BBC News that the police were in riot gear and were "heavy-handed"

erm...

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Nine officers were hurt, with injuries including head wounds, a leg wound and a fractured hand, Essex Police said.

It really doesn't sound like the police were the heavy handed ones. Sounds like they did well under the circumstances.

I know people who were there, I would like to make comment but can't in the open forum, needless to say the police acted with great restraint.

Raves: People high as kits on E tabs trying to cuff them is near enough impossible

Bring on the C.S!!!

Bring on the flash bangs OBP or the mines ipf/w00t.gif

Ha ha ha

Police investigating an illegal rave on farmland in Essex have bailed 34 people who were arrested on suspicion of conspiring to cause a public nuisance.

Violence broke out at the event on Saturday, involving up to 600 people.

Essex Police said an officer suffered a severed fingertip, a patrol car was burnt out and missiles were thrown during clashes at Great Chesterford.

A police spokeswoman said six people arrested had been released without charge and 34 others bailed.

Nine officers were hurt during the operation, with injuries including head and leg wounds, and two revellers suffered head injuries, police said.

At one point, 40 people attempted to cross the nearby M11 motorway on foot.

Emergency roadblocks were erected and the motorway speed limit reduced to 40mph.

Forces from Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Hertfordshire were involved in the operation.

The landowner had not given permission for the party and it had no entertainment licence.