North America's War On Clubs Intensifies

Canadian clubbers in Edmonton face legally enforced curfews, if a new bylaw is passed next week (Tuesday 2nd July) which proposes outlawing all dancing after 3am. Under the proposal, Under 18's will be banned from dance events after midnight, with the only exceptions being for church functions and high school dances. According to city councilman Allan Bolstad (presumably no relation to fictional UK MP Alan B'Stard) the dancing ban is needed to resolve noise problems and he otherwise considers his approach to be 'very liberal'.

"This situation has evolved over quite some time and we received an awful number of complaints from people who own property next to these rave establishments that go right through the night," the councillor told local newspaper the National Post. "(About) the noise, the vandalism and, from time to time, the violence and fights and stuff that are breaking out." The council's Footloose-style anti-dancing ban drew immediate protests from clubbers led by the Edmonton Right to Dance Coalition, who held a three hour rave on the steps of City Hall protesting against the proposed curfews.

Meanwhile in the US, Missouri State officials approved new anti-ecstasy laws last week which will see E placed on a par with heroin and cocaine and even more police assaults on raves. "Here's the thing that really, really scares you," said DARE (drug education) Officer Al Nutter (apparently his real name too) from the Caclede County Sheriff's Office. "When they do have these rave parties, where ecstasy is involved, the promoters claim they are drug free and substance free events. Boy what a scam they do to the parents. We read every day where kids are falling into this rave thing and parents are saying 'Wow, I didn't know that, I thought it was this or that.' But these big promoters, these guys know." Missouri's new laws come into effect on August 28th.

Elsewhere in the States, 50 cops raided a rave in Greenville (Southern California) last weekend (June 23) and arrested more than 70 people, the majority for ecstasy possession, local paper Greenville News reported this week. The raid came just days after New York Club king Peter Gatien lost both liquor licences at the city's last remaining superclubs Tunnel and Limelight, which almost certainly signs the death warrant for both venues. Gatien has been rumoured to have been trying to sell both clubs, though with no liquor licences, is likely to find it difficult to sell either.
(Additional reporting from Susan Cistone, New York)
http://www.nationalpost.com/ (More details on the Canadian rave curfew)
http://www.lebanondailyrecord.com/ (For more details on the Missouri story)
Jonty Adderley

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