Pubdate: Wed, 30 Aug 2000
Source: Calgary Sun, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2000 The Calgary Sun
Contact:  2615 12 Street N.E., Calgary, Alberta T2E 7W9
Fax: (403) 250-4180
Website: http://www.canoe.ca/CalgarySun/
Forum: http://www.canoe.ca/Chat/home.html
Author: Bill Kaufmann

NO RAVE REVIEWS FOR RCMP

Partygoers are accusing Mounties of engaging in "police state" tactics when 
they shut down a weekend rave party near Drumheller.

Mounties say the all-weekend event organized in the hamlet of Wayne, about 
10 km southeast of Drumheller, lacked permits and posed a safety hazard.

But Calgary partygoer David Allan said police went overboard by refusing to 
allow partiers into the campground and by harassing those who stayed at the 
site to camp.

"They came in every 20 minutes to tell people to leave and at one point 
threatened to tow peoples' cars away," said Allan, 41.

"I was disgusted by it ... I don't like getting threats and intimidation 
from police who are supposed to be protecting and serving me."

Allan said those who made it to the site were well-behaved.

"If there was a problem, I could understand why they would have done this, 
but there wasn't," he said.

But RCMP said the party, dubbed Oasis 2, was illegal and its organizers 
kept its location secret until Friday, the day it was to start.

"It was an illegal concert and we can't let those go on -- that's all there 
is to it," said Staff Sgt. Keith Redl of the RCMP in Drumheller, 140 km 
northeast of Calgary.

Organizers tried to get last-minute permits for the rave, but were refused 
on safety grounds.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jo-D