300 Packed Into Illegal Hackney Rave – Police Raid Unlicensed Gig
Detectives swooped on a secret rave in Hackney after a tip-off warned of an unlicensed music event on Saturday night, January 23.
Police Called In Full Force to Railway Arch Rave
At just after 1.30am, officers found booming music blasting from a railway arch on Nursery Road, E9. Inside, around 300 revellers were crammed into the tiny space. The crowd were playing hard to get – organisers slammed the doors shut and padlocked them from the inside to keep cops out.
Police escalated the operation, bringing in public order officers, a dog unit, and even the helicopter to contain the chaos.
Mass Escape Attempt Fails – 78 Fined for Covid Rule Break
Despite dozens scrambling over fences and forcing gates to flee, officers caught 78 people. Each was slapped with a £200 fine for violating Covid restrictions by attending the party.
Chief Superintendent Roy Smith said: “This was a serious and blatant breach of public health laws and unlicensed event rules. Officers had to risk their health dealing with a selfish crowd packed tightly in a tiny space – a perfect virus spreader.
“Our frontline teams police this crisis with professionalism, but it’s unacceptable they face needless risks to themselves and their families.
“We always try to engage but those flouting the law will face swift action. Not just organisers, but everyone caught at illegal parties will be fined.”
