Three £10,000 fines have been issued to boat owners who organised “raves” on their vessels during the festive period
On New Year’s Eve, Hertfordshire Police were called to a party boat on the River Lea at Broxbourne. When they arrived, they found around 40 people on board the boat, DJ equipment, a bar and nitrogen dioxide canisters.
A 33-year-old man from east London was issued with a £10,000 Fixed Penalty Notice for organising and selling tickets to the event. He will also receive a Community Protection Warning telling him not to return to the area.
On Friday 11th December and again on Sunday 13th December, officers had been called to events on other boats on the River Lee. They attended and dispersed more than 100 people from the scene, arresting a male who refused to cooperate.
Hertfordshire Police said that on Thursday 17 December, local officers from the Broxbourne Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) attended the river intending to serve a closure order on the vessels involved. They entered one boat under a Section 17 order, seizing:
- 4 generators
- 4 large speakers
- 2 large amplifiers
- A large quantity of alcohol
The second vessel was ordered to leave the borough of Broxbourne.
The owners of both boats, men aged 30 and 31, from North London, are being issued with £10,000 Fixed Penalty Notices and Community Protection Warnings.
Sgt Chris Fisher, from Broxbourne Safer Neighbourhood Team, said:
“My team worked hard over the festive period to disperse and prevent illegal raves on board boats moored along the river.
“Even if we weren’t living through a pandemic and under strict rules not to socialise in large groups to prevent coronavirus transmission, these party boats would be illegal, representing a grave danger to anyone who attends.
“They are dangerous for attendees with no crowd control measures, medical staff or security provision on site. Currently our area has one of the highest case rates in the region, so this makes it even more important that people adhere to the rules and not mix in large groups.”
He added: “I’d appeal to everyone’s sense of decency to do the right thing and follow the clear lockdown rules now in place.”
Hertfordshire Police have asked the public to inform them if they see the following:
- Social media messages advertising a large gathering
- People unloading sound equipment
- Cropped bolts on gates
- Flattened or disturbed hedgerows
- People in vehicles stopping to look into a field
- People climbing over a fence or gate to look into a field
- Vehicles entering fields or open spaces
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Great job. Can Hampshire police borrow them.
As above