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DanceSafe Condemns Racine 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 Tim@DanceSafe.org. Bryan Oley can be
contacted at Bryan@DanceSafe.org. Jamie Smidt can be
contacted at Jamie@DanceSafe.org
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