Student Rave Shut Down

AN ILLEGAL student rave attended by 500 people in a Manchester warehouse was shut down by police.

The party, organised by University of Manchester students, was part of a wider international two-day event in support of autonomous spaces and squatting.

The event, known as the "Clearance Sale", took place close to the Apollo Theatre in Ardwick. 

Organisers had previously hosted a very successful rave in Withington.

Julia Wilson, a final year Biology student, aged 22 years, said the 500 person event was far better than the one held in Withington.

"It was a lot bigger than the last rave, and could have had a capacity of around 2,000 if the police hadn't stopped letting people in," she said.

"The old furniture warehouse was also a far better venue."

The event had a high-profile DJ line-up and promised "the music won't stop till you can't hack it anymore."

Police arrived at 12.45am and stopped letting any more people in and closed the rave down at 2.45am, blaming problems with health and safety.

Around 500 partygoers made it into the rave, with about 300 people waiting outside.

In an email sent to ravers the organisers lambasted their "blind door" (a door without a peephole), which prevented their knowledge of who was trying to gain entrance.

Organisers said: "We went to the speak the police - for the third time - intending, as before, to step out and shut the door firmly behind.

"On opening the door we were confronted with six or seven butch, snarling policemen, who grabbed the door and forced their way in.

"They then said the building was unfit for purpose, that our two fire exits were insufficient and the party was over."

A statement from the police said: "The crowd were quickly and safely dispersed by officers and there were no arrests or any disorder."