Updated: Three arrested as trouble flares at Wivenhoe May Fair (From Gazette)

zappist says...
1:02am Tue 31 May 11

Zero arrests = Zero trouble
I was there I saw it and it was nothing. It's the Gazette making up a load of old toot to sell newspapers.

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zappist says...
1:03am Tue 31 May 11

Zero arrests = Zero trouble
I was there I saw it and it was nothing. It's the Gazette making up a load of old toot to sell newspapers.

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6079 Smith W says...
1:42am Tue 31 May 11

I was there and saw nothing whatsoever.

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Boris says...
2:46am Tue 31 May 11

I was there with Winston and saw nothing either, apart from the £1000-per-hour police helicopter hovering overhead to no purpose.
"No arrests were made" means there was no significant trouble.
Come along Gazette, report the truth, that thousands of people were there enjoying themselves, in possibly the biggest turnout ever, and that a happy time was had by all.

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vinny982 says...
6:55am Tue 31 May 11

This is the first Wivenhoe festival I have been to and I was surprised by the number of people there! When an event such as this is staged there will always be pockets of trouble, perhaps there should have been more security presence? However I didn't see anything that was "out of the ordinary" really.

The biggest disappointment for me was the fact that the headline band didn't get a chance to play because the other bands had overran by 1-1.5 hours. What a shame for them and the festival!

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billykat says...
7:17am Tue 31 May 11

The headline band didn't get a chance to play because the police refused to let them go past the 6pm curfew due to a few teenagers that can't handle their alcopops. Pathetic.

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Gideon Smythe says...
7:21am Tue 31 May 11

Well done Gazette, make it sound like a riot. It was a wonderfully peaceful festival with people of all ages having some fun. Does that get reported? Of course not.

That would be good news and I guess the press aren't interesting in making people feel good about the world.

Anyway, a bit later in the day about a dozen youngsters (not the scary type) started posturing and throwing stuff at each other. No more than school playground stuff.

Perhaps the Gazette should have spoken to people who were there before rushing to give out negative news.

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KA-Wivenhoe says...
8:58am Tue 31 May 11

Reading the above is EXACTLY why I will never again buy the Gazette.

I've not bought one for over 20 years, because of their pathetic reporting.

GET IT RIGHT!!

I have lived in Wivenhoe for over 40 years, I was there too, and saw no trouble whatsoever. If your headline grabbing lies are meant to sell newspapers, it doesn't work.

Telling the truth instead might just help your cause better.

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Hunk Hogan says...
8:59am Tue 31 May 11

It was obviously a quiet weekend in Colchester and the surrounding areas that they have to go to the lengths to exaggerate things at the May Fair just to fill their papers. I personally wasnt there but know several people who went and they had a great time and didnt mention trouble. Its disgusting the Police Helicopter was called out. The cost to run it is very high and to send it to Wivenhoe for no apparent reason is ridiculous.

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beckamuir says...
9:01am Tue 31 May 11

um... it was horrendus! I did not actually go to the Mayfair this year, but I live in Wivenhoe and as the newspaper states, the trouble was NEAR the fair, not AT the fair. There were huge 16 or so strong fights in the middle of the road, near the co-op, after the event which happened in front of my car, so I could not drive past them. This happened at about 7 o clock. It was scary. I was very glad of the police presence, because without them, it would have been even words. I used to enjoy going, and most people are fine but I am shocked "no arrests were made," because the people I saw were acting like animals.

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James Wills says...
9:40am Tue 31 May 11

Could I ask those making critical comments to look in today's papers where they will see our report of the incident is restricted to nine paragraphs on page two.

This is almost entirely based on official police reports which stated an incident involving more than 100 youths took place and the police helicopter, officers in riot gear and police dogs were sent to the scene.

There is also a statement from one of the event's organisers which again confirms incidents did take place.

To claim nothing occurred at all is simply incorrect but our coverage has been restrained and balanced.

The paper also contains two full pages of pics from the event which, as some contributors have stated, was, as usual, a superb occassion for the thousands of people who attended.

James Wills, Asst Editor, Gazette.

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MrBriRight says...
10:12am Tue 31 May 11

To some of the hysterical comments here I'd like to ask what is inaccurate? Everything in this article happened. 15 Police in riot gear ran past me at about 6.10pm. Followed by dog teams. The police helicopter came and yes there was trouble - saw people nearly knocked over by about 100 kids fleeing police from the woods. I saw arrests & the EADT is reporting arrests and quoting the police as saying it was a "Major Public Disturbance". I was there all day and maybe some of the Arsene Wenger's of Wivenhoe above left before 4.40pm when things started getting heated. It wasn't a "riot" but Gazette dont say that and report correctly there was trouble. It seemed as though organisers had NO strategy for dealing with crowd dispersal at the end other than doing a rain dance (they were lucky it rained). Yes there were teenagers drinking and doing drugs in the woods, but given the security guys at the fair itself waved me away when I tried to tell them I'd seen kids who looked about 12 strolling in through the gates with bottles of stella. On a positive note - I was there from 12pm and had over 4 fantastic hours with great music, great people although it was packed, the amount of kids drinking did make it inevitable that things would get ugly. Didn't help things cancelling the headliner seemingly at the last minute. Hopefully they can sort the problems out for next year

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romantic says...
10:19am Tue 31 May 11

I was also there, and in fact had no idea there had even been any trouble until I got home and heard it from somebody else. I hope that today's paper does indeed show the great day which most people had - as others have said, it was the best attended May Fair for years and the atmosphere (where I was, anyway) was as friendly and peaceful as always.

If stuff did happen, then it has to be reported, but it was a bit galling to see that the main headline on the website (and still the main headline) was about "Trouble flaring", making it sound like the whole event was some out of control urban riot, when quite clearly it was not. And of course the danger is that the organisers will now have doubts about whether there should a May Fair next year. But let's let the dust settle, and see today's paper. But do feel again it is something that media do now - concentrate on the tiny negatives while ignoring the major positives.

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Red Reg says...
10:26am Tue 31 May 11

There's no way on earth that was "a wonderfully peaceful festival with people of all ages having some fun".

Yes there was aspects of that but at the same time there was an undercurrent of young kids getting off the heads on booze which didn,t help the festival atmosphere.

"Playground stuff"? You're having a laugh. This was some of the worst violence I've seen locally in years.

There's nothing in the Gazette story that is sensational. I was there and was concerened for me and my family.

I won't touch the May Fair with a may pole until the organisers sort it it out. Who ever is reponsible for organising this should step down. The May Fair deserves better.

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jacqui111 says...
11:26am Tue 31 May 11

At around 5pm I saw one lady with blood all over her being walked out, she'd been bottled near the stage.

Later fights broke out in the woods, people were throwing the steel barriers at each other and at that point the riot police arrived, I saw another lady being carried off and apparently she had a serious facial injury. The fights were in the woods( and later outside the co op I heard.)

Had you been to the fair before that time , you would have been unaware of anything, it was a good day. My husband was there from stall set up times and all was good until 5.

Plenty of glass bottles around though...

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Boris says...
11:50am Tue 31 May 11

I repeat, I was there from 2 pm to 5.30 pm and saw no trouble whatsoever. Most of the time I was manning a stall in the upper part of the field but when three of us left, we went out through the car park at the lower end where we saw two police vehicles parked and empty. Driving back past the Co-op about 5.40 pm we saw a huge number of people waiting at the bus stop there (couldn't they have laid on some extra buses?) but no sign of trouble at that moment.
Going back to the under-age drinkers, yes, there were plenty of them, but if the police had wanted to target them, they should have come earlier, to confiscate their booze and identify where they bought it. They can't do that from their helicopter.
it seems the only thing the organisers did wrong was to let the main stage schedule overrun and cause the headline band to be cancelled. Obviously this has to be managed better next time, but that's all.
Long live the Wivenhoe May Fair.

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LawrenceKaine says...
12:03pm Tue 31 May 11

CAV OK being cancelled is no doubt the biggest disappointment, fancy cancelling the headline act ????????? That scandal alone is worth a riot! V Gutted!!!!!

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Boris says...
12:44pm Tue 31 May 11

LawrenceKaine wrote:
CAV OK being cancelled is no doubt the biggest disappointment, fancy cancelling the headline act ????????? That scandal alone is worth a riot! V Gutted!!!!!

Lawrence, being of an older generation I had never heard of CAV OK but I have just viewed a couple of Youtube clips of them, and I can see exactly why you and others are so gutted.
Shame on the organisers for not making sure that CAV OK got to play their set. They must do better next year.

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wonky says...
12:54pm Tue 31 May 11

No plod when they were needed to provide prevention rather than cure, parking on the verges on the avenue had more cars than a public car park, where were the parking attendants who seem to be out in force to catch little old ladies in the week. The Avenue had cars driving on pavements. Accounts of people with children almost being knocked over, Youths carrying crates of lager without anyone asking if they were old enough or resp enough.
Yes the event seemed to be on the whole well run within the perimeter fence, but surely the shenanigans around the local and immediate area need to also come into the organisers remit. Is this where a free event has to take responsability for all that it brings to the village. The police too have to take a hard look at themselves as rushing in at the last minute mob handed is not an example of responsble community policing. maybe its a light touch approach - but whatever touch this years may fair now has a dark shadow of accountability hanging over it. lessons learnt - too little too late.

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94gabytaz says...
1:05pm Tue 31 May 11

I was there from 11:45am - 6:30pm.

people started fighting in mobs. a glass beer bottle was thrown into the fighting crowd and knocked a girl clean out. when 5 paramedics are trying to get her out the crowd (still unconcious) you cant blame them for getting riot police in to keep things under control. doesnt matter if nobody got arrested, I'm pretty sure more damage would have been done if the police hadn't stepped in.

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observer2000 says...
1:46pm Tue 31 May 11

James Wills wrote:
Could I ask those making critical comments to look in today's papers where they will see our report of the incident is restricted to nine paragraphs on page two.

This is almost entirely based on official police reports which stated an incident involving more than 100 youths took place and the police helicopter, officers in riot gear and police dogs were sent to the scene.

There is also a statement from one of the event's organisers which again confirms incidents did take place.

To claim nothing occurred at all is simply incorrect but our coverage has been restrained and balanced.

The paper also contains two full pages of pics from the event which, as some contributors have stated, was, as usual, a superb occassion for the thousands of people who attended.

James Wills, Asst Editor, Gazette.

I am sure that if the gazette reported the incident then it was the case..... I would like to thank you for contributing directly towards us of your opinion and situation....Perhaps you could now understand and assimilate how disruptive rude and insensitive some posters are on this site.. It puts some of us off!!!

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snoswad says...
2:10pm Tue 31 May 11

some of the contributors to the mail are the problem they go around and see only what suits.

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6079 Smith W says...
2:34pm Tue 31 May 11

Mr Wills, thank you for your email (I know I wasn't the only contributor to receive this). May I remind you of what I actually said:-
'I was there and saw nothing whatsoever.'
So why are you disputing this being my experience of the day (and I was there between 10.30 and 6.15)? The fact you have such a problem with my experience does 'ironically' suggest you are somewhat overplaying the 'trouble'. And of course your front page confirms this, being that 'Trouble flares at Wivenhoe music festival' was placed above 'Large crowds enjoy May Fair.' As ever, the devil is in the detail, and in your 'nine paragraphs' the police talk of 'minor scuffles and fights'. This shows that those who talk of the event being 'horrendous', and of 'serious trouble', completely and utterly wrong. Go argue with the police if you want to dispute this.
To the Wivenhoe resident who chose to defend the Gazette's coverage. The headline says 'Trouble flares at Wivenhoe May Fair.' What don't you understand here? Just six words, four of them of only one syllable, and I will happily explain the meaning of any of them to you. The operative word is 'at', not near or round the corner. And this contributor also seems to suggest the worst of the 'trouble' occurred later in the evening, ie, once the rozzas complete with riot gear had showed up, mob handed, along with their chopper. Got to wonder what really provoked the 'trouble' then.
It was a fantastic day. Very well done to the organisers for all their hard work.

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Feisty CBC says...
2:45pm Tue 31 May 11

Now, if you had all bought the Gazette today and actually read the article before posting, Mr. Wills wouldn't have had to slap your wrists.

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6079 Smith W says...
2:46pm Tue 31 May 11

Boris, I met two Gazette journalists there (off duty), who seemed to be having a thoroughly good time. One performed with his very good band on the second stage.

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MrBriRight says...
3:38pm Tue 31 May 11

6079 Smith W wrote:
Mr Wills, thank you for your email (I know I wasn't the only contributor to receive this). May I remind you of what I actually said:- 'I was there and saw nothing whatsoever.' So why are you disputing this being my experience of the day (and I was there between 10.30 and 6.15)? The fact you have such a problem with my experience does 'ironically' suggest you are somewhat overplaying the 'trouble'. And of course your front page confirms this, being that 'Trouble flares at Wivenhoe music festival' was placed above 'Large crowds enjoy May Fair.' As ever, the devil is in the detail, and in your 'nine paragraphs' the police talk of 'minor scuffles and fights'. This shows that those who talk of the event being 'horrendous', and of 'serious trouble', completely and utterly wrong. Go argue with the police if you want to dispute this. To the Wivenhoe resident who chose to defend the Gazette's coverage. The headline says 'Trouble flares at Wivenhoe May Fair.' What don't you understand here? Just six words, four of them of only one syllable, and I will happily explain the meaning of any of them to you. The operative word is 'at', not near or round the corner. And this contributor also seems to suggest the worst of the 'trouble' occurred later in the evening, ie, once the rozzas complete with riot gear had showed up, mob handed, along with their chopper. Got to wonder what really provoked the 'trouble' then. It was a fantastic day. Very well done to the organisers for all their hard work.

Myself and members of my family were at the fair at the same times and we saw "trouble" (louts, fights, somebody who had had a bottle thrown in their face) during the last few hours of a typically mellow 'Wivstock'. Your lucky you didnt.

You say "got to wonder what really provoked the 'trouble' then". Is that accepting there was trouble. So whats wrong with the content of the article? The EADT says "Last night police described the incident as a “major public order offence”." Perhaps we need the police spokesman to explain what that means. Shame there arent some photos of the troublecausers so the plod can have a quiet 'word'.

[quote][p][bold]6079 Smith W[/bold] wrote: Mr Wills, thank you for your email (I know I wasn't the only contributor to receive this). May I remind you of what I actually said:- 'I was there and saw nothing whatsoever.' So why are you disputing this being my experience of the day (and I was there between 10.30 and 6.15)? The fact you have such a problem with my experience does 'ironically' suggest you are somewhat overplaying the 'trouble'. And of course your front page confirms this, being that 'Trouble flares at Wivenhoe music festival' was placed above 'Large crowds enjoy May Fair.' As ever, the devil is in the detail, and in your 'nine paragraphs' the police talk of 'minor scuffles and fights'. This shows that those who talk of the event being 'horrendous', and of 'serious trouble', completely and utterly wrong. Go argue with the police if you want to dispute this. To the Wivenhoe resident who chose to defend the Gazette's coverage. The headline says 'Trouble flares at Wivenhoe May Fair.' What don't you understand here? Just six words, four of them of only one syllable, and I will happily explain the meaning of any of them to you. The operative word is 'at', not near or round the corner. And this contributor also seems to suggest the worst of the 'trouble' occurred later in the evening, ie, once the rozzas complete with riot gear had showed up, mob handed, along with their chopper. Got to wonder what really provoked the 'trouble' then. It was a fantastic day. Very well done to the organisers for all their hard work.[/p][/quote]Myself and members of my family were at the fair at the same times and we saw "trouble" (louts, fights, somebody who had had a bottle thrown in their face) during the last few hours of a typically mellow 'Wivstock'. Your lucky you didnt. You say "got to wonder what really provoked the 'trouble' then". Is that accepting there was trouble. So whats wrong with the content of the article? The EADT says "Last night police described the incident as a “major public order offence”." Perhaps we need the police spokesman to explain what that means. Shame there arent some photos of the troublecausers so the plod can have a quiet 'word'. MrBriRight

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6079 Smith W says...
3:51pm Tue 31 May 11

And, I repeat, in today's Gazette, the police described what happened as 'minor scuffles and fights'. Although I didn't see it - unlike Arsene Wenger who looks out at a field of 22 players and 3 officials, I was looking out at a field of god knows how many thousands - I'm happy to accept kids got involved in 'minor scuffles and fights'. Hardly worthy of emotive words like 'major public order offence' (with no arrests at the time and just 3 since) or 'eruption'. You need to get out more.

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Stoopiduk says...
4:12pm Tue 31 May 11

I can't help but wonder what the alternative solution is from the police's point of view. You have a field full of people, some of whom are throwing bottles and fences at each other (some of them obviously looking in the other direction). Would these commenters have liked the police to wander in and politely ask the drunkards to stop throwing bottles at each other? Would you have rather the police left the violence alone and risk it escalating further moving into a residential area? I'm sure your view point might be different if, like my uncle, you had to move your car from your own driveway because it was being walked across and knocked into by droves of people, despite it being well out of the way of the pavement.

I imagine from the police's perspective there has been very little trouble at the May Fair in the past, hence the lack of policing in the earlier hours. The Fair could have been a victim of its own (previous) success in that way. Once it had escalated to the point of unconscious bleeding women with head injuries, I think options are limited.

From my experience, simply sitting waiting for a taxi opposite the Co-op was too much for some of the revellers (notably not youths) who thought it fair to verbally abuse me in front of my two year old son because when I was asked what time the buses were running I replied "I'm sorry, mate, I don't live around here, I've no idea"

Working in the licensed trade, it was appalling to see so many clearly underage people drinking everything from spirits to scrumpy with no form of marshalling in place.

I'm glad I left when I did and I will certainly not be taking my son again next year.

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totallyfootball says...
4:21pm Tue 31 May 11

This whole event seems to have been poorly arranged, not enough security no police presence (they don't have to be invited) most open air music events have the police attending due to the numbers known to be involved. How ever to not have the headliner band playing sounds like a recipe for disaster and sounds like some went too far?

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6079 Smith W says...
4:25pm Tue 31 May 11

Well an alternative view as to what the police should have been doing has already been put forward by somebody who was (wrongly) rather critical of the May Fair's organisation. Rather than turning up 'mob handed', they should have been their earlier to prevent kids getting their hands on booze. Shame you wont be back, and I just hope the hysterical news reporting doesn't put this wonderful event in jeopardy. Now, that so-called 'Colchester free festival' (it had an army stall - so wasn't a 'free festival' - free festivals emerged as resistance to militarism in the 60s) had football hooligans, not kids, kicking off. But the Gazette completely ignored this.

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Stoopiduk says...
4:47pm Tue 31 May 11

@ Smith W -

I've had a hand in organising outside events myself and have been subjected to event security pursuing live music many times too. Should the security of such an event be left solely to the police? Not in my eyes. Did the event organisers pay for extra policing? Did they pay for an SIA licensed security firm to watch over events?

If it was just left to the goodwill of attendees and the local police, then it can be nothing other than irresponsible. I hasten to add this is speculation, I know nothing of the security arrangements for the May Fair.

(Incidentally I consider it a Free Festival as I don't have to pay to get in, unlike many events that are held in the park. I think Free Festival is an appropriate name and have never heard of the free festival movement, perhaps they are aiming at a different age group.)

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Feisty CBC says...
4:53pm Tue 31 May 11

There's free music every Sunday at the bandstand in the Castle Park. Jolly good it is too. There was the police helicopter hovering over the Castle. But the band played on. :)

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KA-Wivenhoe says...
4:57pm Tue 31 May 11

Feisty CBC wrote:
There's free music every Sunday at the bandstand in the Castle Park. Jolly good it is too. There was the police helicopter hovering over the Castle. But the band played on. :)

Ah.... but that might be a 'different ' interpretation of "music"!!!

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6079 Smith W says...
5:01pm Tue 31 May 11

'Free festival' is an historical term with historical meaning, I'm sorry your ignorance of history is unaware of this.
And the organisers of Wivstock 2011 - originally started by, surprise, surprise, Wivenhoe CND - did very well in making sure any 'trouble' was 'minor scuffles and fights'. I'll say it again. Well done to them.

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6079 Smith W says...
5:07pm Tue 31 May 11

6079 Smith W wrote:
'Free festival' is an historical term with historical meaning, I'm sorry your ignorance of history is unaware of this.
And the organisers of Wivstock 2011 - originally started by, surprise, surprise, Wivenhoe CND - did very well in making sure any 'trouble' was 'minor scuffles and fights'. I'll say it again. Well done to them.

That was addressed to Stoopiduk.

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Stoopiduk says...
5:28pm Tue 31 May 11

Seems to have gotten a little heated here for no apparent reason.

I'm sorry that the term "Free Festival" might have a new meaning amongst people of my age. I'm not about to start checking wikipedia for the relevance of every event I attend just to check the history of the combination of two simple words.

Maybe we've another generational lingo issue with "minor scuffles and fights" and fence jousting and missile throwing is a part of your definition. Great job ignoring all of the comments that point out and then verify acts of pretty horrid violence there, Smith W. Perhaps worth noting that just because you didn't see it, it doesn't mean it never happened.

Good job to the organisers, only one woman carted out by paramedics because of a bottle hurled into a crowd that was already brawling. Pat on the back.

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romantic says...
5:33pm Tue 31 May 11

It seems there are different perspectives on this according to whether people saw the trouble or not. I was there all day and left well after the last band had played, and can honestly say I was not even aware of any trouble going on. That doesn't mean there was no trouble, just that I personally did not see it. It seems a lot of others have the same experience, which does suggest that it was localised. But if people are getting glassed, and kids are throwing bottles and barriers around, then it is an issue that cannot be brushed aside. I've been to almost every May Fair since about 1992, and my own personal experience was that it was one of the best. But none of us is in all places at once, and it seems from some of the posts above that there was trouble to some degree. Now, it is fairly traditional that kids go to May Fair and get drunk and stoned. That was the case in 1992, and has always been the case. However, I can't recall any major trouble over the years - a couple of "handbags at dawn" fights is the worst I can remember. It does concern me a bit that the Gazette has over-egged the scale of this trouble, but I still do think it is something that organisers need to be aware of for future years. If there were hundreds of kids in the woods, then maybe a bit more marshalling is needed. If enough of them don't really get the whole "peace" ethos of the May Fair, then you've just got smashed 16 year olds who can't handle their booze/drugs and get out of line. It doesn't have to be like school playtime, but it's better that the kids are getting wasted where others can see them. We've all been there and done it and can maybe keep a communal eye on things.

Transport is also an issue. I noticed that the trains didn't run from Town Station, which pushed a lot of people onto a very limited bus service. Could it be arranged to have a couple of post-May Fair trains running back to Town and North station? We managed to get straight onto a bus, but people further up the road were then sailed past because the bus was full. Again, maybe a case for a few special buses running for an hour or two at the end?

Having not seen it, I can't really comment on police tactics, but they can't really stand by if people are getting bottled and chucking barriers around. The Gazette's initial reporting suggested it was a scene of urban warfare. The fact that there were 3 arrests suggests that it was more the "minor fights and scuffles" now being reported, and that the police probably did a pretty good job in defusing the situation, but there does have to be a bit of responsibility accepted by the organisers also. A lot more people turned up than in previous years, which maybe threw them a bit. Overall, we shouldn't see it as the end of society or anything like that, but we also do need to accept that something did go wrong, even if just in one small part of the site, and work out the best way next time to defuse it before trouble starts.

It seems there are different perspectives on this according to whether people saw the trouble or not. I was there all day and left well after the last band had played, and can honestly say I was not even aware of any trouble going on. That doesn't mean there was no trouble, just that I personally did not see it. It seems a lot of others have the same experience, which does suggest that it was localised. But if people are getting glassed, and kids are throwing bottles and barriers around, then it is an issue that cannot be brushed aside. I've been to almost every May Fair since about 1992, and my own personal experience was that it was one of the best. But none of us is in all places at once, and it seems from some of the posts above that there was trouble to some degree. Now, it is fairly traditional that kids go to May Fair and get drunk and stoned. That was the case in 1992, and has always been the case. However, I can't recall any major trouble over the years - a couple of "handbags at dawn" fights is the worst I can remember. It does concern me a bit that the Gazette has over-egged the scale of this trouble, but I still do think it is something that organisers need to be aware of for future years. If there were hundreds of kids in the woods, then maybe a bit more marshalling is needed. If enough of them don't really get the whole "peace" ethos of the May Fair, then you've just got smashed 16 year olds who can't handle their booze/drugs and get out of line. It doesn't have to be like school playtime, but it's better that the kids are getting wasted where others can see them. We've all been there and done it and can maybe keep a communal eye on things. Transport is also an issue. I noticed that the trains didn't run from Town Station, which pushed a lot of people onto a very limited bus service. Could it be arranged to have a couple of post-May Fair trains running back to Town and North station? We managed to get straight onto a bus, but people further up the road were then sailed past because the bus was full. Again, maybe a case for a few special buses running for an hour or two at the end? Having not seen it, I can't really comment on police tactics, but they can't really stand by if people are getting bottled and chucking barriers around. The Gazette's initial reporting suggested it was a scene of urban warfare. The fact that there were 3 arrests suggests that it was more the "minor fights and scuffles" now being reported, and that the police probably did a pretty good job in defusing the situation, but there does have to be a bit of responsibility accepted by the organisers also. A lot more people turned up than in previous years, which maybe threw them a bit. Overall, we shouldn't see it as the end of society or anything like that, but we also do need to accept that something did go wrong, even if just in one small part of the site, and work out the best way next time to defuse it before trouble starts. romantic

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6079 Smith W says...
5:37pm Tue 31 May 11

Stoopiduk wrote:
Seems to have gotten a little heated here for no apparent reason.

I'm sorry that the term "Free Festival" might have a new meaning amongst people of my age. I'm not about to start checking wikipedia for the relevance of every event I attend just to check the history of the combination of two simple words.

Maybe we've another generational lingo issue with "minor scuffles and fights" and fence jousting and missile throwing is a part of your definition. Great job ignoring all of the comments that point out and then verify acts of pretty horrid violence there, Smith W. Perhaps worth noting that just because you didn't see it, it doesn't mean it never happened.

Good job to the organisers, only one woman carted out by paramedics because of a bottle hurled into a crowd that was already brawling. Pat on the back.

So as well as ignoring history you want to continue ignoring what the police described as, (I repeat yet again) 'minor scuffles and fights'. Why?

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Stoopiduk says...
6:12pm Tue 31 May 11

@ Smith W

Because in my opinion the events described are not minor scuffles and fights. In fact, eyewitness accounts of a few friends suggest they were just as bad as a woman getting hit in the face with a flying bottle sounds.
I'm not ignoring the idea that the police might like to play down any disturbances at such an event, because people might just start questioning their initial deployment strategy. My friends don't have any particular line to tow, they were there to watch some music.

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donttalkdo says...
7:26pm Tue 31 May 11

Mr Wills Gazette Man i have no comment on the above as i was not there. But as the Gazette often over exaggerates facts and misleads the public is it any surprise that people comment on what they see of the story. Also when in the wrong the will not put it right, or even apoligise to the people they milined. I have been waiting months for at least acknolegement of your fantasy reporting. The daft thing is your paper will report one thing this week and report the same subject the next week reporting the opposite. I would be ashamed to admit i worked for the Gazette.

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KA-Wivenhoe says...
7:51pm Tue 31 May 11

I too have had a personal email from Mr Wills, in which he categorically denied getting the facts wrong, and described the Gazette's 'balanced and accurate reporting'.

As Donttalkdo says above, I also have lots of personal experience from events I have organised or been involved in locally, of 'Fantasy reporting' (great description), and don't buy the paper any more for that reason.

No - they will never admit they are wrong, apologise, nor accept their view is wrong.

As in this instance, when so many people that were actually there yesterday have confimed.

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beckamuir says...
8:05pm Tue 31 May 11

Dear Smith W,
I was actually quoting directly from the newspaper (please scroll up to view the article). “Police say hundreds of youths drinking NEAR to the event began causing problems at around 5pm.” However, I do admit the article says AT too. I was merely referring to my personal experience. I don’t feel it necessary to insult other people’s intelligence when expressing my personal experience of the mindless violence I witnessed. I am sorry my comment ruffled your feathers so much that you felt it appropriate to suggest I have difficulty with word recognition and comprehension! I think the problem lies with the fact that many people have different views of what ‘trouble’ and ‘violence’ are. I witnessed a whole pack of about 16 people stopping a boy, who was desperately scrambling to get into the safety of a car, and repeatedly punching him and kicking him in the head and body. This was a prolonged attack and I was too scared to beep, in case it drew attention to me. I did not want to attempt to drive round them, as people were being punched off the pavement and were falling into the road. The police were dealing with a different fight, further along the road, so the attack continued. Luckily the police then noticed and the crowd dispersed. Obviously different people have had different experiences and base opinions around what they personally saw. In my opinion, I was very glad of the police presence and I feel deeply sorry for the organisers who have had all their hard work marred by a select few. I think we should all agree that things happened that should not have, for one reason or another, and keep fingers crossed that it doesn't happen again at what is usually a lovely event.

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kli__g says...
8:32pm Tue 31 May 11

Just wanted to say I had a lovely day with my family and met up with some great friends, I have been going to wivenhoe for 20 years now, in fact since I was 13 myself, I've missed a couple in that time but not many, It is the first time I have ever felt that I had to leave early. I've been to many glastonbury's and many V festivals along with lots of smaller events too and I've never not felt safe, I did start to feel that a bit this year hence left early but that was my choice to leave, It was quite plain to see bottles flying through the air which to me was a cue to leave as I'm sure it was for most other sane people. Its a shame the kids were rowdy and drunk but those with half a brain knew to keep away from that area, the skate park area seemed to get rowdy a few times through the day with bottles being thrown a few times but later in the evening at around 5 or 6 it seemed to picik up the pace with small "disturbances" occurring all along the wooded side of the field. Its not the organisers fault, nor the police, kids are just more rowdy than i used to be! shockingly true!

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6079 Smith W says...
9:34pm Tue 31 May 11

Stoopiduk wrote:
@ Smith W

Because in my opinion the events described are not minor scuffles and fights. In fact, eyewitness accounts of a few friends suggest they were just as bad as a woman getting hit in the face with a flying bottle sounds.
I'm not ignoring the idea that the police might like to play down any disturbances at such an event, because people might just start questioning their initial deployment strategy. My friends don't have any particular line to tow, they were there to watch some music.

So you know better than the police force that caused all the 'trouble'? And the last thing the police have done is play it all down. They're always the trouble makers!

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Boris says...
9:35pm Tue 31 May 11

6079 Smith W wrote:
Boris, I met two Gazette journalists there (off duty), who seemed to be having a thoroughly good time. One performed with his very good band on the second stage.

Yes, he is (I think) the Gazette's most senior journalist, and I saw him quoted in to-day's printed paper. The Gazette is privileged to employ a talented musician, and indeed probably most of its journos have talents which deserve wider recognition. It would be nice one day to see an article about the Gazette staff and what they do beyond their day jobs.

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6079 Smith W says...
9:39pm Tue 31 May 11

beckamuir wrote:
Dear Smith W,
I was actually quoting directly from the newspaper (please scroll up to view the article). “Police say hundreds of youths drinking NEAR to the event began causing problems at around 5pm.” However, I do admit the article says AT too. I was merely referring to my personal experience. I don’t feel it necessary to insult other people’s intelligence when expressing my personal experience of the mindless violence I witnessed. I am sorry my comment ruffled your feathers so much that you felt it appropriate to suggest I have difficulty with word recognition and comprehension! I think the problem lies with the fact that many people have different views of what ‘trouble’ and ‘violence’ are. I witnessed a whole pack of about 16 people stopping a boy, who was desperately scrambling to get into the safety of a car, and repeatedly punching him and kicking him in the head and body. This was a prolonged attack and I was too scared to beep, in case it drew attention to me. I did not want to attempt to drive round them, as people were being punched off the pavement and were falling into the road. The police were dealing with a different fight, further along the road, so the attack continued. Luckily the police then noticed and the crowd dispersed. Obviously different people have had different experiences and base opinions around what they personally saw. In my opinion, I was very glad of the police presence and I feel deeply sorry for the organisers who have had all their hard work marred by a select few. I think we should all agree that things happened that should not have, for one reason or another, and keep fingers crossed that it doesn't happen again at what is usually a lovely event.

I think we should all agree the Gazette coverage was completely OTT. I wasn't insulting you, merely quoting facts. If you can't get these right, you're insulting yourself. Do you still need help?

[quote][p][bold]beckamuir[/bold] wrote: Dear Smith W, I was actually quoting directly from the newspaper (please scroll up to view the article). “Police say hundreds of youths drinking NEAR to the event began causing problems at around 5pm.” However, I do admit the article says AT too. I was merely referring to my personal experience. I don’t feel it necessary to insult other people’s intelligence when expressing my personal experience of the mindless violence I witnessed. I am sorry my comment ruffled your feathers so much that you felt it appropriate to suggest I have difficulty with word recognition and comprehension! I think the problem lies with the fact that many people have different views of what ‘trouble’ and ‘violence’ are. I witnessed a whole pack of about 16 people stopping a boy, who was desperately scrambling to get into the safety of a car, and repeatedly punching him and kicking him in the head and body. This was a prolonged attack and I was too scared to beep, in case it drew attention to me. I did not want to attempt to drive round them, as people were being punched off the pavement and were falling into the road. The police were dealing with a different fight, further along the road, so the attack continued. Luckily the police then noticed and the crowd dispersed. Obviously different people have had different experiences and base opinions around what they personally saw. In my opinion, I was very glad of the police presence and I feel deeply sorry for the organisers who have had all their hard work marred by a select few. I think we should all agree that things happened that should not have, for one reason or another, and keep fingers crossed that it doesn't happen again at what is usually a lovely event.[/p][/quote]I think we should all agree the Gazette coverage was completely OTT. I wasn't insulting you, merely quoting facts. If you can't get these right, you're insulting yourself. Do you still need help? 6079 Smith W

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beckamuir says...
9:52pm Tue 31 May 11

I'm not entirely sure why you are being so rude, but I feel a bit sorry for you for being so angry. I have done nothing to warrent this attack from you on either occasions. I won't be responding to you after this, because enough is enough and I don't indulge in being rude to others. Have a pleasant evening.

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6079 Smith W says...
9:56pm Tue 31 May 11

So it is rude to point out where you are factually incorrect?! Your inability to know the meaning of the word 'at'? Weird!

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Sdapeze says...
10:36pm Tue 31 May 11

I missed all the fun! The anarchists at play.

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6079 Smith W says...
10:47pm Tue 31 May 11

Sdapeze wrote:
I missed all the fun! The anarchists at play.

You sure did. Because that was Spain in 1936, not Wivenhoe in 2011. And to think you accuse others of being in a time warp! As ever sdapeze, thanks for the wonderful entertainment.

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Stoopiduk says...
12:09am Wed 1 Jun 11

Getting a bit off point, Smith W?

You'll be interested to learn I've had many more accounts of what happened at the festival, few of them saying how peaceful it was. Whilst I don't accuse you of being factually incorrect, I fully believe you went along and saw no trouble, I will accuse you of ignoring the arguments against you.

Do you think everyone is lying about these specific events which are being described similarly by many different people? Or is it just more convenient to ignore it?

You're quotes aren't all facts - one is just a quote from the police which surely you have to balance against the weight of the quotes from the public that contradict it.

You've not disproven anything by putting your evidence forwards, whereas the evidence of others definitely kills your theory of an entirely peaceful event (or peaceful to the extent of your favourite quote) dead.

You could just keep calling people names and sit back thinking that you've outwitted us though. A read through of Homage to Catalonia doesn't make you better than us.

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6079 Smith W says...
5:23am Wed 1 Jun 11

So a few anecdotes somehow outweighs what the police tell us (or the fact that only 3 arrests occurred, or that there's no reports of criminal damage, looting, or serious injury)? That is not an argument, and you do of course choose to ignore anecdotal evidence (the first eight contributors here, for instance) if it doesn't fit your view that WW3 took place.

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ShallowRemarks says...
7:47am Wed 1 Jun 11

Newspapers, TV, Computers, Phones etc, all forms of communication. Get people talking, it's costing us big money and we are all suckers to it. Doesn't matter the content.

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Sdapeze says...
8:24am Wed 1 Jun 11

But the press love a good story. I was talkking to one of the organisers and he told of a women being stretchered off with her face covered. Apparently, she was a wheelchair bound epileptic who had had a fit and her eyes were being covered to stop her condition getting worse. Is this the woman who had been hit in the face, as reported, or was there another? Sadly though, the damage to Wivstock's reputation is done. Hopefully it will be back in full swing next year.

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Cynic2009 says...
9:25am Wed 1 Jun 11

I was at the event but am wondering if I was at a different one from some of the contributors? There were large scale fights breaking out, stewards being knocked over, I saw a bottle thrown and was releived when the police arrived, only because it allowed the St John's ambulance's people to work unhindered. The number of arrests means nothing - you will recall when there were the student riots in London there were only 40 or so and there hundreds of people were rioting. It was a great event, as usual, but to say there were not problems at the end is ridiculous, including, as other people have said on here, large fights breaking out on the way out of the event. The Gazette does not get everything right, which paper does, but I saw its coverage yesterday and was surprised not to see more - after all, its not every day in Colchester you get large scale public order offences. Smith W describes the scenes I, and others, saw as "anecdotal" but when they police admit there was large scale disorder is this somehow "anecdotal" too? Muppet.

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Bob_11 says...
9:35am Wed 1 Jun 11

Smith W, according to Piaget, you are stuck in the toddler stage and are ‘are able to represent the world to themselves in symbols and images but are unable to distinguish their point of view from that of others.’ Bless. If anything, the press and police have underplayed the situation. I find it extremely infuriating that you are hell bent on arguing black as white. Of course no one is suggesting that it was WW3, but things happened that were shocking, why can you not admit this? Just because you didn’t see this as the situation, doesn’t mean they haven’t happened. You are basing your evidence circumstantially, whereas a lot of the people on here directly witnessed these events. I’m not sure for which purpose you are arguing your strange case (perhaps you just can’t admit your wrong) but there is clearly an underlying force driving your pettiness. I laughed out loud when reading your comments.

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MrBriRight says...
10:23am Wed 1 Jun 11

W Smith seems very fond of quoting the police as the fount of all accuracy. Inconveniently for W Smith, the police were also quoted in the EADT as follows: "Last night police described the incident as a “major public order offence”."

and "Graham Rainbird, of Essex Police, said that when officers arrived on the scene there were youths seen running around, some with bloody noses.

He said: “We had to mobilise a unit.

“We sorted it out but it did get out of hand.”"

This reminds me of a film called 'Rashoman' - somewhere between all these different versions of events (some surely from people keen to protect Wivstock and not realising that the best way to do so is to take any reported problems seriously) there are truths from all perspectives.

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donttalkdo says...
11:18am Wed 1 Jun 11

By insulting and name calling each other is not helping i admit i have used this in the past. Can some of you just agree to disagree ? Nobody is totally wrong or right. I see the same names on nearly everything i want to comment on and they are intitled to their point of veiw but they keep expressing views which have nothing to do with the article and i for one dont have the time to read them all.
Or am i living in a fantisy world

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romantic says...
11:32am Wed 1 Jun 11

Winston, for somebody who is normally querying the word of the police, seems a bit odd to now rely on it as the sole source of truth. I, like you, saw nothing happen while I was there, and I was there right to the end. But I don't think you can just dismiss "anecdotal evidence". I've cauight up with a few more people who were there, and a lot of them did see stuff going on. Not a full-blown riot, but bottles being thrown, fences being chucked around, fairly major fights. All of these are people who are not prone to exaggerate, and are very much pro-May Fair. And most of those who have posted above on this post seem to be pretty pro-May Fair. Next year, I think the organisers do need to get a few more marshalls, and patrol the woods, as it seems (again, this is ancedotal evidence, as I cannot be in all places at the same time) the problems came when police came in to clear out the woods. Of course, by then, you've got lots of kids who are off their boxes. If marshalls had been in there through the day, maybe this would not have happened. If stuff did happen, we need to try to work out why, not just brush it under the carpet because we personally did not see it happen.

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6079 Smith W says...
5:48pm Wed 1 Jun 11

Cynic2009 wrote:
I was at the event but am wondering if I was at a different one from some of the contributors? There were large scale fights breaking out, stewards being knocked over, I saw a bottle thrown and was releived when the police arrived, only because it allowed the St John's ambulance's people to work unhindered. The number of arrests means nothing - you will recall when there were the student riots in London there were only 40 or so and there hundreds of people were rioting. It was a great event, as usual, but to say there were not problems at the end is ridiculous, including, as other people have said on here, large fights breaking out on the way out of the event. The Gazette does not get everything right, which paper does, but I saw its coverage yesterday and was surprised not to see more - after all, its not every day in Colchester you get large scale public order offences. Smith W describes the scenes I, and others, saw as "anecdotal" but when they police admit there was large scale disorder is this somehow "anecdotal" too? Muppet.

So you witnessed the 'student riot'? Or are your misinformed comments the result of right-wing tabloid newspapers? With regards to Wivenhoe, I repeat, where are the serious injuries and the looting (though, as reported today, there was one arrest for criminal damage, wow!)? The answer to that is all you need to see the Gazette have overblown these events, in order to sell some papers. Report it yes, but there's no need to have it on the front page, or, as last night, two stories on the 'most read' using silly, emotive titles. Scroll back, even the first person who came on here to defend the Gazette, said that the trouble didn't actually occur at the May Fair itself.
During the hooligan peak in the mid-80s I would watch on average two top flight games a week. I've seen actual riots from Wapping to the poll tax. For anybody who's seen a bit of the world, comments such as yours are hilarious. You clearly lead a very sad and sheltered life, and to make up for it you want to pretend you've seen some real drama. You aint. You saw some drunken teenagers having a fight. Nobody, I repeat, nobody, got really hurt. Get over it.

[quote][p][bold]Cynic2009[/bold] wrote: I was at the event but am wondering if I was at a different one from some of the contributors? There were large scale fights breaking out, stewards being knocked over, I saw a bottle thrown and was releived when the police arrived, only because it allowed the St John's ambulance's people to work unhindered. The number of arrests means nothing - you will recall when there were the student riots in London there were only 40 or so and there hundreds of people were rioting. It was a great event, as usual, but to say there were not problems at the end is ridiculous, including, as other people have said on here, large fights breaking out on the way out of the event. The Gazette does not get everything right, which paper does, but I saw its coverage yesterday and was surprised not to see more - after all, its not every day in Colchester you get large scale public order offences. Smith W describes the scenes I, and others, saw as "anecdotal" but when they police admit there was large scale disorder is this somehow "anecdotal" too? Muppet.[/p][/quote]So you witnessed the 'student riot'? Or are your misinformed comments the result of right-wing tabloid newspapers? With regards to Wivenhoe, I repeat, where are the serious injuries and the looting (though, as reported today, there was one arrest for criminal damage, wow!)? The answer to that is all you need to see the Gazette have overblown these events, in order to sell some papers. Report it yes, but there's no need to have it on the front page, or, as last night, two stories on the 'most read' using silly, emotive titles. Scroll back, even the first person who came on here to defend the Gazette, said that the trouble didn't actually occur at the May Fair itself. During the hooligan peak in the mid-80s I would watch on average two top flight games a week. I've seen actual riots from Wapping to the poll tax. For anybody who's seen a bit of the world, comments such as yours are hilarious. You clearly lead a very sad and sheltered life, and to make up for it you want to pretend you've seen some real drama. You aint. You saw some drunken teenagers having a fight. Nobody, I repeat, nobody, got really hurt. Get over it. 6079 Smith W

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ShallowRemarks says...
5:55pm Wed 1 Jun 11

I think it is about time this event was banned I can see it turning into Woodstock. Ban everything before we are
doomed.

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6079 Smith W says...
6:14pm Wed 1 Jun 11

romantic wrote:
Winston, for somebody who is normally querying the word of the police, seems a bit odd to now rely on it as the sole source of truth. I, like you, saw nothing happen while I was there, and I was there right to the end. But I don't think you can just dismiss "anecdotal evidence". I've cauight up with a few more people who were there, and a lot of them did see stuff going on. Not a full-blown riot, but bottles being thrown, fences being chucked around, fairly major fights. All of these are people who are not prone to exaggerate, and are very much pro-May Fair. And most of those who have posted above on this post seem to be pretty pro-May Fair. Next year, I think the organisers do need to get a few more marshalls, and patrol the woods, as it seems (again, this is ancedotal evidence, as I cannot be in all places at the same time) the problems came when police came in to clear out the woods. Of course, by then, you've got lots of kids who are off their boxes. If marshalls had been in there through the day, maybe this would not have happened. If stuff did happen, we need to try to work out why, not just brush it under the carpet because we personally did not see it happen.

'the problems came when police came in to clear out the woods.'
So once more it sounds like the police provoked the trouble, as one commentator said earlier, who was highly critical of the May Fair's organisation, perhaps 'prevention is better than cure', and that they should have been in Wivenhoe earlier, rather than turning up 'mob handed'. Your other comments - you make some sensible points, which I'm sure will be considered next year. But of course don't get carried away.

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6079 Smith W says...
6:38pm Wed 1 Jun 11

People really should have a read of Stanley Cohen's 'Folk Devils & Moral Panics.'

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Stoopiduk says...
7:29pm Wed 1 Jun 11

News flash: Militant Wivenhovian supports bottlings and booze fuelled violence as a way of toughening up the youngsters. Smith W was quoted as saying "Hopefully all this scrapping will make strong, straight thinking soldiers to rise up against their right-wing media puppet masters. Kids these days don't know how easy they've got it. No one died, not even one person!"

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6079 Smith W says...
7:50pm Wed 1 Jun 11

Stoopiduk wrote:
News flash: Militant Wivenhovian supports bottlings and booze fuelled violence as a way of toughening up the youngsters. Smith W was quoted as saying "Hopefully all this scrapping will make strong, straight thinking soldiers to rise up against their right-wing media puppet masters. Kids these days don't know how easy they've got it. No one died, not even one person!"

The fact you are now resorting to fantasy (slightly amusing I grant you, though a much better p*ss take of the left has already been done on this website), rather suggests you simply cannot counter the fact that there's no significant injury, no windows broken, no cars turned over. In fact everything, just as when Stanley Cohen examined what happened in Clacton all those years ago, that demonstrates total media over-reaction.

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Stoopiduk says...
8:05pm Wed 1 Jun 11

Everyone's talking about it in social situations too. You should probably start hunting them down, they're dirtying the village's great name with their eyewitness accounts and facts.

I've never claimed it was WW3 either. Yes it's a level of violence I'm not used to witnessing and therefore something that I think worth reporting in the news. You know what I call that? Sure as hell not media overreaction. Progress. The idea that we think a mere bottling (and 2 of my customers yesterday reported seeing a man dragged from his car and beaten outside the co-op which lead them to calling the police) worth writing about doesn't make us soft, it means we're living in a better place.

Your glory days of facing off against the man are over, stop trolling on the internet. Chill, Winston.

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6079 Smith W says...
8:25pm Wed 1 Jun 11

You really can't counter the fact that there was no significant injuries or damage, can you?

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Stoopiduk says...
9:39pm Wed 1 Jun 11

I've found a more constructive debate on the topic elsewhere.

Some people that support the fair are happy to admit to damage, injuries and unpleasantness but are looking forward to addressing it for next year's event rather than rallying against the local newspaper.

Good luck with your crusade, it's been emotional (mostly frustration, mind).

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6079 Smith W says...
5:17pm Thu 2 Jun 11

No, you've persuaded me! It was clearly the Miracle of Wivenhoe! That's why all these kids managed to involve themselves in serious violence - with all that glass thrown about - but managed to escape significant injury (every single one of them), and (mostly) evade arrest. God does move in mysterious ways. Embrace it, you witnessed God's work, praise the lord! And so long as you're a believer I'll see you in heaven in October, which is of course when rapture has been postponed to.
Anyway, as well as now believing you, some guy you met in the pub, and God, I also believe in Father Christmas, the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy. Thanks, a life changing experience.

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Cynic2009 says...
11:52pm Thu 2 Jun 11

Judging on previous posts you believe in socialism as a realistic political system so your belief in the tooth fairy is just as plausible. You really are a buffoon. Countless people on this site have given eyewitness reports of disturbing violence but you choose to disbelieve them. There was a story in the paper today by a man who was dragged from his car and beaten up but I suppose, as a veteran of every left wing anarchaist inspired riot to you this doesn't count. If you had been hit on the head by a bottle or beaten up, I suppose you would have lain there saying "hit me harder mate, that's nothing, I was at Wapping." You are probably one of those types who attacks capitalist GAP clothes stores while wearing Nike trainers or fights capitalism while relying on the welfare state for a living. Nobody is saying for one moment these were the Poll Tax riots - thats why the paper only gave it a few paragraps - but it was hardly a teddy bears picnic was it? I called you a muppet. Apologies to the muppets, they speak a little sense.

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6079 Smith W says...
7:50pm Fri 3 Jun 11

God loves you, and all your faults. He loves your bizarre assumptions - he made you - it's not as if you have any individual choice which gives you an ability to practice intellectual exercise. Praise the lord! God bless the Wivenhoe Miracle!

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6079 Smith W says...
8:47pm Fri 3 Jun 11

6079 Smith W wrote:

Cynic2009 wrote:
I was at the event but am wondering if I was at a different one from some of the contributors? There were large scale fights breaking out, stewards being knocked over, I saw a bottle thrown and was releived when the police arrived, only because it allowed the St John's ambulance's people to work unhindered. The number of arrests means nothing - you will recall when there were the student riots in London there were only 40 or so and there hundreds of people were rioting. It was a great event, as usual, but to say there were not problems at the end is ridiculous, including, as other people have said on here, large fights breaking out on the way out of the event. The Gazette does not get everything right, which paper does, but I saw its coverage yesterday and was surprised not to see more - after all, its not every day in Colchester you get large scale public order offences. Smith W describes the scenes I, and others, saw as "anecdotal" but when they police admit there was large scale disorder is this somehow "anecdotal" too? Muppet.
So you witnessed the 'student riot'? Or are your misinformed comments the result of right-wing tabloid newspapers? With regards to Wivenhoe, I repeat, where are the serious injuries and the looting (though, as reported today, there was one arrest for criminal damage, wow!)? The answer to that is all you need to see the Gazette have overblown these events, in order to sell some papers. Report it yes, but there's no need to have it on the front page, or, as last night, two stories on the 'most read' using silly, emotive titles. Scroll back, even the first person who came on here to defend the Gazette, said that the trouble didn't actually occur at the May Fair itself.
During the hooligan peak in the mid-80s I would watch on average two top flight games a week. I've seen actual riots from Wapping to the poll tax. For anybody who's seen a bit of the world, comments such as yours are hilarious. You clearly lead a very sad and sheltered life, and to make up for it you want to pretend you've seen some real drama. You aint. You saw some drunken teenagers having a fight. Nobody, I repeat, nobody, got really hurt. Get over it.

Must admit, just read this again, that's the worst argument I've ever put! Not that that changes anything. Serious violence still equals at least one serious injury - if it wasn't for the Miracle of Wivenhoe!

[quote][p][bold]6079 Smith W[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Cynic2009[/bold] wrote: I was at the event but am wondering if I was at a different one from some of the contributors? There were large scale fights breaking out, stewards being knocked over, I saw a bottle thrown and was releived when the police arrived, only because it allowed the St John's ambulance's people to work unhindered. The number of arrests means nothing - you will recall when there were the student riots in London there were only 40 or so and there hundreds of people were rioting. It was a great event, as usual, but to say there were not problems at the end is ridiculous, including, as other people have said on here, large fights breaking out on the way out of the event. The Gazette does not get everything right, which paper does, but I saw its coverage yesterday and was surprised not to see more - after all, its not every day in Colchester you get large scale public order offences. Smith W describes the scenes I, and others, saw as "anecdotal" but when they police admit there was large scale disorder is this somehow "anecdotal" too? Muppet.[/p][/quote]So you witnessed the 'student riot'? Or are your misinformed comments the result of right-wing tabloid newspapers? With regards to Wivenhoe, I repeat, where are the serious injuries and the looting (though, as reported today, there was one arrest for criminal damage, wow!)? The answer to that is all you need to see the Gazette have overblown these events, in order to sell some papers. Report it yes, but there's no need to have it on the front page, or, as last night, two stories on the 'most read' using silly, emotive titles. Scroll back, even the first person who came on here to defend the Gazette, said that the trouble didn't actually occur at the May Fair itself. During the hooligan peak in the mid-80s I would watch on average two top flight games a week. I've seen actual riots from Wapping to the poll tax. For anybody who's seen a bit of the world, comments such as yours are hilarious. You clearly lead a very sad and sheltered life, and to make up for it you want to pretend you've seen some real drama. You aint. You saw some drunken teenagers having a fight. Nobody, I repeat, nobody, got really hurt. Get over it.[/p][/quote]Must admit, just read this again, that's the worst argument I've ever put! Not that that changes anything. Serious violence still equals at least one serious injury - if it wasn't for the Miracle of Wivenhoe! 6079 Smith W

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KA-Wivenhoe says...
10:04am Sun 5 Jun 11

Comment here particularly for the benefit of Stoopiduk.
I have been following your constructive comments on the 'other forum' and find them very interesting. Your views have gone down well with the other users, and the Editor.
It is very satisfying to see a sensible debate coming from both within, and outside Wivenhoe, from people who were there at the May Fair, and from those that were not.
It is even more satisfying to read without the constant ill-informed interruptions and ranting of Chief Muppet Smith W.

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6079 Smith W says...
12:45pm Sun 5 Jun 11

It took a lot of praying (and hiring a hit man to take out Kermit, I paid some of the Wivenhoe rioters) to achieve that exulted status.

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blue4u says...
9:29pm Sat 11 Jun 11

As a resident, there was trouble after the Mayfair between youths. The first group of youths started fights before more police arrived on the scene. The two that were initially there was dealing with one group by the scout hall area and another group had started problems by the skateboard area which these police officers could not deal with as they were dealing with another group. Yes the day may have been great and there were a lot of young people drinking and taking drugs in and around the woods which obviously was not a problem during the day but started trouble by the fields and in residential areas as I witnessed this.

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Updated: Three arrested as trouble flares at Wivenhoe May Fair (From Gazette)

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Updated: Three arrested as trouble flares at Wivenhoe May Fair

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