Furious locals were kept awake until 3am after around 160 guests attended an illegal house party in north London.
Metropolitan Police officers broke up the event, said to have been held at an Airbnb property in Tavistock Terrace, Archway, on Friday night, following complaints from neighbours.
Police were in a battle this morning to shut down an illegal ‘rave’ in a well-known beauty spot in Gloucestershire after a ‘large’ number of lockdown revellers gathered last night.
Footage of the Islington party shows dozens of people in the garden of the terraced house not wearing masks or socially distancing.
A large number of officers can be seen entering the property, before eventually moving people away from the area
A large number of officers can be seen entering the property, before eventually moving people away from the area.
A neighbour claimed that more than 50 officers helped break up the event which had been attended by more than 160 people. The Met said no arrests were made.
The event was described as an ‘illegal rave’ by one neighbour. Police issued a closure order against the property, which prevented people from going back inside.
In a video posted on YouTube taken around 2.30am, a neighbour who filmed the event said: ‘The people who came had no respect for the neighbours around them nor any respect quarantine or social distancing rules.’
He said the property had been let out on Airbnb and guests ‘took advantage by holding a gigantic party that quickly got out of hand’.
A Met Police spokeswoman said officers were called to Tavistock Terrace shortly after 11.50pm on July 31 to reports of a ‘large gathering of people playing loud music’.
‘Officers attended and spoke with the organisers, asking them to close the event,’ the spokeswoman said.
‘A closure notice was enacted. Officers stayed on the scene while those attending began to disperse.’
A neighbour claimed that more than 50 officers helped break up the event which had been attended by more than 160 people
Chief Superintendent Roy Smith tweeted: ‘Officers out this evening closing down illegal and antisocial parties playing loud music into the early hours, packed groups of 150+ people risking the spread of Covid-19 and keeping poor families with young children awake at 3am.
‘Incredibly patient & tolerant police officers.’
Last night, a ‘large’ number of lockdown revellers gathered in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire as police battled this morning to shut down the illegal rave.
Officers said it would likely take ‘some time’ to disperse the unlicensed party, which took place overnight in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire.
People were being advised to avoid the beauty spot this morning, one of the surviving ancient woodlands of England, while police attempt to disperse revellers.
Gloucestershire Constabulary said in a tweet: ‘Police are currently in the Forest of Dean near to Speculation Car Park dispersing a rave.
‘People are advised not to attend the area due to safety and Covid risks.’
Officers say it will likely take ‘some time’ to disperse the unlicensed party, which took place overnight in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire
They added it would ‘likely take some time’ to resolve the incident.
A Gloucestershire Constabulary spokesman said the operation had been ‘relatively successful’ and was ‘coming to a close’.
No arrests have yet been made, though details of any arrests are expected to be released later today.
Gloucestershire Constabulary said that two arrests were made for drug driving and two vehicles were seized.
In a statement, they said: ‘Officers from Gloucestershire Constabulary have been working throughout the night to close down a rave in the Forest of Dean.
‘Police were called to the Speculation Car Park near Lydbrook and Parkend during the early hours of this morning (Sunday 2 August) and have been dispersing the group to ensure the event does not continue and that those attending leave as safely as possible.
‘Sound equipment has been removed and officers closed a number of surrounding roads to prevent more people from attending.
‘The road closures were as a result of intelligence which had been developed and identified that many of those attending were from outside the county which allowed officers to target key roads that the individuals would have used to attend.
‘As part of the police response, two arrests were made for drug driving and two vehicles were seized.
‘Officers want to thank the local community for their patience and reassure those living in the area that they understand how much of an impact an event like this can have.’
Gatherings of more than 30 people are still banned in England under the government’s eased lockdown measures.
Unlicensed raves are illegal under the Entertainment (increased Penalties) Act, which was introduced in 1990.
Those who host such events could be fined up to £20,000.
The Forest of Dean rave follows a number of similar events since lockdown began.
Last month, two men were arrested after two 15-year-old boys were stabbed in a rave in Westcliff, Essex.
Essex Police were called at around 7pm yesterday to reports of a large group of people fighting, including some with weapons, in Chalkwell Esplanade near Chalkwell train station
One of the 15-year-olds was injured in the head and leg while the other was stabbed in the arm. Their injuries are categorised as non-life threatening
Police officers were left running for safety from aggressive crowds who pelted them with bottles in south London during an illegal rave in June.
Shocking body-cam footage released by the Metropolitan Police last month showed members of the force fleeing for cover after angry yobs began to fire bottles and other objects at them during an illegal rave at an estate in Brixton on June 25.
The scenes, which left 22 officers injured and saw police vehicles smashed, come after figures released by the police revealed around 530 illegal raves have been organised across London in the past month.
Yesterday police closed off a car park to a beauty spot in Greater Manchester after reports of someone planning a ‘large event’.
Officers restricted access to a car park in Sale Water Park, near Sale, due to the gathering.
Though Greater Manchester Police did not give details of the event, reports on social media suggest it may have been a dog meet-up, report the Manchester Evening News.
A post on GMP Trafford South Facebook page said: ‘Police have temporarily closed the car park at Sale Water Park due to someone planning a large event. Please avoid the area.’