Theydon Bois: Police 'met with hostility' after 200-person illegal rave broken up

6 June 2021, 10:00

Essex Police have condemned "attacks" against their officers after objects were thrown towards them as they worked to break up a 200-person illegal rave in Theydon Bois, near Epping Forest.

The police were called at around 11pm on Saturday after loud music was heard from a field near the leafy village of Theydon Bois.

The force said they "tried to engage" with attendees but were "met with hostility" and objects were thrown at officers. None were injured.

A set of DJ decks, speakers and a generator were seized by the police. One man was also arrested on suspicion of a breach of coronavirus rules.

But it still took over two hours for the police to shut down the event, with the music turned off shortly after 1am, when the crowds began to disperse.

Read more: Dublin: 14 arrests as police disperse large crowd drinking in street

Read more: Indoor music events do not increase risk of Covid-19's spread, studies suggest

Essex Police said at that point attendees were "friendly, calm and compliant and thanked officers for their help in leaving the area".

However, Chief Superintendent Tom Simons has condemned the initial disorder, warning further action could be taken and the investigation remains "in its early stages".

"Essex Police does not tolerate attacks, no matter how minor, upon officers who are just doing their job by responding to incidents reported to them by the public," he said in a statement.

“In this instance, thankfully no officers were injured and the attendees did eventually disperse when they were asked to do so and that is a credit to the officers who attended the scene and worked under very difficult circumstances.

“As a result of our initial investigations, we have seized a number of items of musical equipment and one man has been arrested.”

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