think it’s a troll from SJ to be honest.

TBH this paranoia isn’t confined to internet, I used to get regularly accused by randoms of being a detective in real life at raves, despite in many cases being part of the crew.

For years people thought online and even in real life I was working for one of the authorities.

This was just because back in the “good old days” when there were so many parties in SE England people thought they were above the law, I would still speak out against people doing stuff like smashing up venues or fighting at raves etc, or would say it was still worth having a normal job and/or having some respect for conventional society.

I think people do have pre-formed stereotypes, I’ve heard this happen to a fair few people particularly older males who prefer to attend parties on their own or outside “cliques” of ravers.

At one party a few years back I was asked by my mates from a certain crew (who had probably been smoking too much) to photograph some suspected “CID” (they were just some lads from Slough and were actually linked with the other rig downstairs!”)

I think people watch too much crime drama style telly and movies when stoned or on K and believe that it is a true reflection of modern law enforcement – and even the “true crime” books are often highly exaggerated.

The reality is that other than the odd few traffic cops and rookie detectives in plain clothes (which is NOT the same as an undercover operation) the cops don’t need to do much detective work, ravers often draw so much attention to themselves anyway!

There are also potential legal issues and cost issues with regard to spending public money to try and get info in this fashion (as opposed to just lurking on a forum)

Half the time the “black rats” (covert traffic cops) are only there because of the gary boys and those in stolen or dodgy cars who have latched on to some bits of the scene…

if any stitch ups do actually occur its more often someone who has actually been a raver for a while gets fucked off with it for whatever personal reasons and passes on info..

Is it coz ur asian? Sorry i thought I was on squat juice then:laugh_at:

Here here, I think there is to much paranoia on here so long as people arnt mentioning names, venues and personal info it shouldnt be to bad. My first and second name have been posted on here and other sensative info and I’m not to worried. Theres not much I can do about it, it was just the nieveity of one of our crew (we have since gone seprate ways)….

actually in some cases it was and the internet forum culture didn’t even exist back then in the 1990s.

Overt racism had become temporarily uncool on the 90s so-called “alternative” scene, so it was replaced by this bizzare hidden paranoia about “loads of well-spoken ethnic minorities being put in to infiltrate the activist groups and report back to Blair etc”. I also felt felt in the 80s/90s that many so-called “anarchists” were also suspicious (or envious?) of British Asians as they were seen as “thatcherite lackeys” or “middle class” because they worked hard and had stuff like family values still even if they liked to get high..

On every newsgroup, mailing list and forum we got away with absolutely loads of stuff until the mid 2000s. Names, places, venues pictures the whole fucking lot. The cops could have rinsed everyone back then but rarely did unless someone from a crew was involved in major drug dealing or theft or other crime.

Rave crews pissed on their own chips by pissing off the rest of society too much and sparking off a backlash, IMO the cops clamped down not even because they wanted to in some areas but because locals kept saying “more should be done” after raves caused excessive damage and environmental contamination.

Even then cops do have a lot of other real crime to deal with and don’t hassle ravers as much as they actually could (if they used all their powers) unless they are blatant or stubborn at the wrong times.

I’m abit paranoid of well dressed southerners at partys for some reason. Well dressed anyone realy, you know the type of person who looks like they belong in a wine bar… They have probbly just followed people to a party and are just checking it out but I’m still paranoid. It dont happen at our partys coz there never realy bigger than 100-200 and there in very secluded countryside spots unless were teaming up with other rigs..

lol we don’t get people dressed for the wine bars at East Anglian parties – they are invariably out in a muddy field or barn, and there are plenty of wine bars in most EA towns and the people who would frequent such places stay in there. When doing city parties in Reading/Outer London a few “townie” types may wander off the streets if it was in a city area but they were no real problem.

TBH even if they are feds all they usually do is check numbers attending, see if any real crime or damage is being done and then fuck off before someone recognises them.

Ironically round here (and on some legal rave scenes) people are sometimes a bit wary of Northerners as they feel they are “scallies” and may cause trouble!

I would be far more wary of journalists though, a fair few latched on to the scene in 2006, with the help of exaggerated forum banter and their reporting they talked up the “resurgence of raves” and this coupled with peoples stubborness eventually ended up in the essex “mega-rave” riot..

Me a scally *hides the Stone Island and Armani coats & jeans* never!!!!

It all gets abit tiresome realy, Thinkin of getting a temp licence for our annual multi rigger festival this year, its alot of hastle but it might be worth it in the long run. Probbly only do 2 unlicenced of our own this year and I’ll take a back seat on them.
The scene has canged so much since the 90s mainly through ket, D&B and skatebored types. The old hippy/punk vibe has gone and ego has took over. Its not the police that have infiltrated it’s drugs, egos and British Society….