Published
Thu, Apr 12, 2018, 10:30
- The "unlicensed music event" in a deserted toy store was raided by Hounslow police.
Police shut down an illegal rave at an abandoned Toys R Us store in Hounslow, West London.
Five attendees were arrested and the soundsystem was seized at the "unlicensed music event" on March 31st, according to Hounslow Police's Twitter account. After closing down the rave, police put out a warning to avoid the area around Bull's Bridge Industrial Estate and said they were turning away ticket holders.
There has been an increase in illegal raves in London, with the number of unlicensed parties almost doubling in 2017 from 2016. Police figures say there were 133 illegal raves in 2017, compared to 70 in the previous year.
World Unknown co-founder Andy Blake spoke to Resident Advisor about the causes behind the rise in illegal raves last month: "People being skint, kids wanting to try doing DIY stuff, a general mistrust of things that seem too organised, older party organisers who never really stopped doing it this way, people who love getting one over on the authorities [and] really interesting buildings becoming temporarily available that could never be used by the book. Whatever the reasons, it's vital, healthy and most importantly a lot of fun that this is happening."
Before police raided the March 31st Hounslow rave, an unknown raver managed to make an edit to an official Toys R Us sign.
Photo credit: @MPSHounslow, Twitter