Taking place this past Saturday (June 13th), two illegal “quarantine raves” held in Daisy Nook Country Park and Carrington have reportedly seen a man’s fatal overdose, the stabbing of three people, and the rape of one woman. According to a report by BBC News, there were a total of 6,000 people in attendance at both raves, 4,000 of which having been present at the Daisy Nook rave alone. It was the Carrington event, however, which has been responsible for the greatest amount of damage: an 18-year-old woman was sexually assaulted; an 18-year-old man was left with “life-threatening injuries,” and two other men aged 25 and 26 were left with knife-induced injuries.
Somewhat overwhelmed by the extent of the raves’ scale, and the rapidity with which they were organised, Manchester Police Assistant Constable Chris Skykes has said to the Manchester Evening News that the two events “came on us really quickly.” Responding to the ill-fated raves on their official Twitter account, @gmpolice, Greater Manchester Police have shared a link to a Statement in relation to gatherings across Greater Manchester last night. Establishing “these raves were illegal and I condemn them taking place – they were clearly a breach of Coronavirus legislation and guidelines, and have had tragic consequences,” Sykes proceeds to outline the present strain put upon Manchester Police in the current lockdown.
#Statement from Assistant Chief Constable Chris Sykes in relation to the raves the took place in #Carrington and #Oldham last night…https://t.co/yxqWf2Gjlj pic.twitter.com/pvwQGrUKsv
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) June 14, 2020
“The gatherings were carefully monitored by officers but, like all forces,” he said, “we needed to balance the present public health emergency and our overall demand with ongoing incidents.” He was disheartened, also, by the violence with which “officers attempting to engage with participants of this gathering were met,” adding that “this is absolutely not acceptable and will not be tolerated. Our officers are working incredibly hard to keep people safe and should never be met with inexcusable violence whilst carrying out their duties.”
The statement ends with the Assistant Constable’s assertion that “our top priority will always be the safety of the public, who we are here to serve and protect,” and that the coronavirus is still a threat.
