Victoria Police have released a statement expressing their extreme disappointment and dissatisfaction with the conduct of party-goers from Rainbow Serpent Festival, which was held from 22- 25 January this year.
Their intense statement says that the following charges were laid against Rainbow Serpent attendees in the space of the 4-day festival:
- 40 people caught drug-driving
- 4 sexual assaults
- 3 thefts
- 1 x theft from a motor vehicle
- 1 x criminal damage to motor vehicle
- 1 x unlawful assault upon two security staff
- 1 people caught drink driving
- and 4 men were arrested for charges of trafficking a drug of dependence, and/or drug possession.
They’re sick of it, everyone. Bloody fed up. Inspector Bruce Thomas said so:
“Every year we see the event take place, every year we raise our concerns and every year we are left picking up the pieces. It’s painfully obvious that there are huge direct and indirect risks to the community as a result of the behaviour that takes place at the festival.It was a miracle that no one was killed on our roads given the number of drug drivers departing from the festival. If police didn’t intervene, these drug drivers could have easily killed someone’s child, brother, sister or parent.The sheer number of people who had consumed or attempted to sell drugs was frightening. Something has to change.We know there are obvious economic benefits to hosting an event such as this in our community. But the question remains as to whether the risks to public safety outweigh the economic benefit. We intend to raise this discussion with both local government members and festival organisers at the annual event debrief.”
Hectic.
We can’t help but think that it’s perhaps a bit redundant to ban the only festival that’s actively and progressively trying to assist by implementing pill-testing,
but OOOOOKAY.
Also, we can safely assume that the bloke in blue having a grand ol’ time at last year’s Rainbow Serpent Festival isn’t the same bloke we quoted above, right?
Once again, let’s say this again together: Prohibition doesn’t work. Prohibition doesn’t work.
Prohibition doesn’t work.
Source: VIC Police.
Photo: Facebook.
