Revellers were pictured cleaning up after themselves this morning after a three-day illegal rave was finally broken up by police in Wales, with 22 organisers facing fines of £10,000 each for breaking new coronavirus rules.
Some 3,000 revellers descended on an area of woodland near the village of Banwen in the early hours of Sunday morning – with 400 ravers still at the site by Monday evening.
Last night, South Wales Police managed to shut down the rave after around 70 officers, assisted by Dyfed-Powys Police and the British Transport Police, were called out to the wood to execute a dispersal order.
Summons have been issued to 22 ravers, which could see them slapped with £10,000 fines under new rules to crack down on mass gatherings which came into force on Friday.
However, they could also be convicted and face unlimited fines depending on what a court rules.
Locals voiced complaints about the illegal music festival after rubbish was dumped and ravers defecated over the site.
But this morning, a group of ravers gathered up rubbish in black bin bags as they cleared up the site.
Revellers clean up the area from the aftermath of an illegal rave party in Banwen, Wales
Around 70 South Wales Police officers executed a dispersal order at the site of an illegal rave party, where they confiscated sound gear used by the organisers in woods near the village of Banwen
Locals voiced complaints about the illegal music festival after rubbish was dumped and ravers defecated over the site
Assistant chief constable David Thorne wrote on Twitter last night: ‘Rave at Banwen is over! South Wales Police, Dyfed-Powys Police [and] British Transport Police teams have done a fantastic job this weekend of clearing this huge area from the 3,000 strong illegal gathering. Thank you to all involved.’
He previously said that police had difficulty shifting people from the 4,000 acre site, which is usually used for rally car racing.
‘When there’s 3,000 people to enforce a dispersal order on it becomes a massive issue,’ he said.
‘Even with the resources we were able to deploy at short notice it wasn’t sufficient to be able to move people on any quicker in a safe way.
‘The fact we’ve got less people now with the officers we’ve got available we will be taking proactive and positive action if people don’t heed the dispersal notice.’
Fixed penalty notices have been issued for parking offences, with some vehicles having been towed away.
Some 3,000 revellers descended on an area of woodland near the village in the early hours of Sunday morning
This morning, a group of ravers gathered up rubbish in black bin bags as they cleared up the site
The cleaning effort came despite locals slamming the ravers for making them feel like ‘prisoners in their own home’
Police had difficulty shifting people from the 4,000 acre site, which is usually used for rally car racing
Mr Thorne said: ‘We think this is just completely irresponsible and disrespectful of the local communities.
‘We believe those present to be from all over the UK – many of them have travelled hundreds of miles to get here so this hasn’t happened by accident.
‘This has been planned and possibly planned for a little while, but unfortunately they have been able to plan this under the radar so none of the authorities were aware.’
He added that the illegal ravers had not been hostile towards his officers and were just people with their own self-interest at heart intent on having a good time.
‘The fact is,’ he said, ‘that it’s illegal and it’s causing nuisance and disruption to local communities so we can’t allow that to happen.’
Hundreds left their cars and vans parked illegally, obstructing roads throughout the village.
One woman who attended the rave said she’d driven all the way from London to take part.
She said: ‘I’ve come from Lewisham in London and we travelled up following the party line and it’s been absolutely bloody fantastic. Met nothing but lovely people here as always.
One woman who attended the rave said she’d driven all the way from London to take part
Hundreds left their cars and vans parked illegally, obstructing roads throughout the village
Revellers clean up the area from the aftermath of an illegal rave party in south Wales that lasted three days
A huge illegal lockdown rave near a Welsh village has finally been shut down by police (pictured with revellers)
![Assistant chief constable David Thorne wrote on Twitter: 'Rave at Banwen is over! South Wales Police, Dyfed-Powys Police [and] British Transport Police teams have done a fantastic job this weekend of clearing this huge area from the 3,000 strong illegal gathering. Thank you to all involved.'](https://i1.wp.com/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/08/31/21/32615382-8682041-Assistant_chief_constable_David_Thorne_wrote_on_Twitter_Rave_at_-a-19_1598907219218.jpg?resize=634%2C431&ssl=1)
Assistant chief constable David Thorne wrote on Twitter: ‘Rave at Banwen is over! South Wales Police, Dyfed-Powys Police [and] British Transport Police teams have done a fantastic job this weekend of clearing this huge area from the 3,000 strong illegal gathering. Thank you to all involved.’
‘That’s the thing about these events, everybody you meet is absolutely splendid and lovely and it’s all good vibes. There’s nothing bad to be said about these kinds of things to be honest.’
However, one local said he felt like a ‘prisoner’ in his own home, as young people are ‘obviously under the influence of drink and drugs’ and could be seen sleeping on benches in the village.
It comes after new rules to crack down on mass gatherings came into force on Friday – leading to £90,000-worth of fines issued by Sunday night.
The regulations – with were put in place ahead of the bank holiday weekend – gives police the power to hand out £10,000 fines.
A young woman rests on the ground at the site of an illegal lockdown rave in Wales
Young partygoers posed at the site of the illegal lockdown rave. It has since been shut down
Sound equipment was also seized (pictured) from the site. South Wales Police have now managed to shut down the rave
The ravers were at the illegal party for more than a day. Around 70 officers, assisted by Dyfed-Powys Police and the British Transport Police, were called out to the wood to execute a dispersal order
Earlier, West Yorkshire Police said eight people were fined £10,000 after several parties across Headingley and Burley on Saturday and into the early hours of Sunday.
One man was fined £10,000 for a Headingley house party. Another gathering in the same area lead to four people being slapped with the enormous fee, Sky News reports.
Two DJs were fined £10,000 each in Burley.
Jeremy Corbyn’s brother Piers has been handed the first £10,000 fine in London for an illegal gathering after he organised a march claiming coronavirus is a hoax.
The 73-year-old meteorologist led more than 10,000 anti-lockdown protesters at the ‘Unite for Freedom’ rally in Trafalgar Square on Saturday.
Mr Corbyn, the older brother of the former Labour leader, was seen being hauled off by officers after the event and his Twitter account has since confirmed he was slapped with the colossal fine and ‘held for ten hours.’