Police ban fans from entering gig if a sniffer dog sits next to them

Police warn drug dogs who sit next to a person being tested for drugs will be refused entry – even if drugs aren’t found on them

Fans may want to think twice before attending this Saturday’s music festival ‘Above and Beyond’ after police said that music goers will be kicked out if a drug sniffer dog merely sits next to them.

A new warning from NSW police states that drug dogs who indicate a person may have had contact with drugs will be refused entry – regardless of whether any drugs are found.

Assistant Commissioner Peter Thurtell said the message from police is simple – don’t bring prohibited drugs to the event. 

‘Police will exclude any person from the venue that the drug dog indicates has or who has recently had drugs on them, regardless of whether drugs are located. 

‘Quite simply, if you handle or use drugs you will not be permitted to remain at the venue,’ he said. 

Fans may want to think twice before attending this Saturday's music concert 'Above and Beyond' (pictured) after police said that music goers will be kicked out if a drug sniffer dog merely sits next to them

Fans may want to think twice before attending this Saturday’s music concert ‘Above and Beyond’ (pictured) after police said that music goers will be kicked out if a drug sniffer dog merely sits next to them

Greens MP David Shoebridge (pictured) took a swipe at NSW police, saying 'The war on drugs is war on young people'

Greens MP David Shoebridge (pictured) took a swipe at NSW police, saying ‘The war on drugs is war on young people’

Greens MP David Shoebridge took a swipe at the NSW police statement on Wednesday morning.    

‘The war on drugs is war on young people, with little to no impact on public safety or crime,’ he said.

He added: ‘It’s hard to see how this kind of action by police could be legal, seeing how it involves punishment in the absence of any offence.’

Mr Shoebridge said in a media statement: ‘Welcome to NSW, where being young in public is now a criminal offence. 

‘Penalising people for the failure of the drug dog program is a clear abuse of police powers.

‘Young people who have spent upwards of a hundred dollars will see their tickets essentially torn up as some kind of perverse punishment by the police.’  

Mr Shoebridge said that young people shouldn’t be denied entry based solely on drug sniffer dogs as they can also get it wrong.

‘We have known for many years that between two thirds and three quarters of drug dog indications are false positives where people are not found to be carrying any drugs,’ he said in a media statement.  

The group’s fans are slamming the police for the harsh warning, complaining that it’s ridiculous that they’d have to forfeit their tickets if a sniffer dog sits next to them.

One social media user said: ‘So presumed guilty even after being proven innocent?’ 

‘This is an over reach of police powers. What gives them the right to presume guilt?’ another replied. 

Above and Beyond's (pictured) fans are slamming the police for the harsh warning - complaining that it's ridiculous that they'd have to forfeit their tickets

Above and Beyond’s (pictured) fans are slamming the police for the harsh warning – complaining that it’s ridiculous that they’d have to forfeit their tickets

'Police will exclude any person from the venue that the drug dog indicates has or who has recently had drugs on them, regardless of whether drugs are located'

‘Police will exclude any person from the venue that the drug dog indicates has or who has recently had drugs on them, regardless of whether drugs are located’

Assistant Commissioner Peter Thurtell said the message from police is simple - don¿t bring prohibited drugs to the event

Assistant Commissioner Peter Thurtell said the message from police is simple – don’t bring prohibited drugs to the event

‘The presence of drug detection dogs only encourages people who will take drugs anyway to take all their drugs at once before arriving at the venue. The police are then factors in the hospitalisations/deaths that follow,’ another user said.

He added: ‘Why not try harm-minimisation: help people to stay alive while taking the drugs that they were going to take anyway. Education, pill-testing, medical care, rover.’

Tickets for the English electronic trio don’t come cheap – costing between $128.43 to $143.64. 

Assistant Commissioner Peter Thurtell said: ‘Poor choices can have serious consequences and we urge all people attending this festival to remain safe, look after your friends, and don’t risk your health or your good reputation.’

Above and Beyond will be playing at Sydney Showground from 6pm to midnight on Saturday June 9.

Crowd at Sydney Showground (pictured) where the Above and Beyond music concert will be taking place on Saturday 

Crowd at Sydney Showground (pictured) where the Above and Beyond music concert will be taking place on Saturday 

'Being young in public is now a criminal offence. Welcome to NSW,' Greens MP David Shoebridge took to social 

‘Being young in public is now a criminal offence. Welcome to NSW,’ Greens MP David Shoebridge took to social 



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