DanceSafe Condemns Raid in which Each Attendee Recieved $968 Fine.
For Immediate Release:
DanceSafe, a national drug education program, today condemned the Saturday night police raid of a rave at the Tradewinds banquet hall in Racine, WI. Police, tipped off by US Customs officials, raided the event and ticketed 445 attendees and arrested only 3 people.
"While Detective Prudy called this action 'proactive law enforcement', we see the raid as an attack on the First Amendment rights of those present to peaceably assemble.", said Tim Santamour, DanceSafe's Executive Director. "The police had no prior knowledge that drugs were being used at the event before they infiltrated the party. They assumed that since, in their minds, drugs are typically associated with raves that there was illegal activity at this one. They had no proof and entered the premises under false pretext.", commented Santamour, "The fact that police only arrested 3 out of almost 500 attendees proves that drugs were not being used by the vast majority of ravers at this event."
DanceSafe also condemns the attitudes of law enforcement against attendees of electronic music events. "Local law enforcement agencies have been prejudiced by the DEA's actions and by proposed federal legislation, such as Sen. Joseph Biden's proposed R.A.V.E. Act", said Bryan Oley, a DanceSafe board member. Provisions of the R.A.V.E. Act (Reducing America's Vulnerability to Ecstasy) would punish anyone associated with a music event at which someone was using an illegal substance such as Ecstasy or marijuana. "The war on drugs has been a failure, yet police insist on ruining the lives of thousands", added Oley. "The government should be focusing on education and treatment, not incarceration."
DanceSafe blames this atmosphere for pushing rave events into unsafe venues and warehouse. "If the police won't let these events go on legally, promoters and fans of electronic music are going to go ahead with them anyway." Santamour said. "When they can't find legal spaces to have events they often find spaces that do not meet fire and safety standards." Santamour also stated that by driving youth underground "law enforcement is pushing youth out of the reach of drug education programs."
DanceSafe is a drug education program with groups in over 20 cities. DanceSafe provides youth with information about drug use by distributing material at raves and nightclubs. "People are very receptive to our literature" commented Jamie Smidt, DanceSafe's National Training Coordinator. "DanceSafe volunteers come from the rave community. They see drug use at events and want to do something positive to reduce the harms of drug use." DanceSafe not only provides harm reduction materials concerning drugs, "we provide people with a sense of community where they can ask questions they might not ask their parents or teachers.", said Smidt, "We also provide them tips on avoiding heatstroke, hearing loss, and sexual assault."
DanceSafe has vowed to continue the fight against efforts to demonize and stigmatize fans of electronic music events.
For more information contact Tim Santamour at (510) 333-1118 or
[email protected]. Bryan Oley can be contacted at
[email protected]. Jamie Smidt can be contacted at
[email protected]