Wandsworth Council said organisers were inviting people through Facebook to participate in the event in late July.This heinous 'event', then. Care to guess what it might be?
Police officers with dogs will patrol the park entrances and stop suspects, who could face up to a £200 fine.
A naked cycle ride? Oh, no. That's permitted, nay, even encouraged.
This is a water fight. Similar to the one recently in the centre of London that caused so much fuss.
The warning comes after a similarly organised water fight in Hyde Park resulted in disorder and arrests.As blueknight pointed out in the comments to that post, this was yet another example of the few spoiling the event for the many.
Three people were arrested after some 1,500 people got involved in the water fight on 4 June, which continued for eight hours and resulted in the closure of Oxford Street to traffic.
But that cuts no ice with the Powers That Be. They won't have their park sullied by people out to have fun...
Councillor Sarah McDermott, the environment spokesman, said: "We do not intend to sit idly by and allow the park to be used for a mass water fight.Here's a thought, Sarah. Why not cordon off a section of the park for those who want to go ahead with this (or those who don't want to be involved), and crack down hard on anyone who deviates from that?
"Many people may be thinking of attending because they believe it will be a harmless and amusing day in the park.
"Unfortunately experience elsewhere has shown that whenever these events are organised they normally descend quite rapidly into violence, mayhem and misery for the innocent people caught up in it."
5 comments:
1. Exactly which law or bylaw says people are not allowed to fling water at each other?
2. They seem to have forgotten that the park is NOT their private property. I believe it belongs to the citizens of Wandsworth to use for their enjoyment and entertainment?
We are way, way beyond the "nanny state" and so far down the path to a fully authoritarian regime it's hard to see how we're going to get back.
This incident show how those who are in positions of power see themselves as our controllers and dictators - there's no glimmer of service here, it's all about control.
A rapid move towards true localism will help, but the world seems to have created a horde of little hitlers ready and eager to keep us in line.
They just have to, dont they. I bet they dont even know why they come up with these petty restrictions any longer.
If fun isnt "controlled and monitored" and if its arranged by anyone other than the coiuncil, they just have to stick the boot in.
Sick of it.
Since it's a water fight the police are probably going to stop anyone with water pistols, balloons, etc. They are probably also going to stop people with water to fuel such weapons. Knowing the tendancy for people to carry around a £5 bottle of spring water to keep up their 2 litre a day habit (a totaly myth by the way) I suspect that the police are going to be overwhelmed with the numbers they catch and fine. Oh, and piss of a lot of normal people who knew nothing about the event and just happened to be in the park.
"Exactly which law or bylaw says people are not allowed to fling water at each other?"
I'm guessing it'd fall under one of the 'public order' type byelaws. Not that that should count when all involved agree to have that water thrown...
"This incident show how those who are in positions of power see themselves as our controllers and dictators...."
Indeed. And as Chuckles notes, it's not THEIR park. It's OURS.
"If fun isnt "controlled and monitored" and if its arranged by anyone other than the coiuncil, they just have to stick the boot in."
Government-mandated 'fun'.
*shudders*
"Knowing the tendancy for people to carry around a £5 bottle of spring water to keep up their 2 litre a day habit..."
Well, knowing the great British summer, it'll probably bucket down on the chosen day.
I wonder who they'll arrest for that? ;)
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