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Reading Riot

60 posts · page 1 of 2

post #1
01 September 2005, 14:05 UTC#1
Went to reasding festival for the full weekend, and I was shocked at what happened.

Everyone was out of control. People just grabed other peoples tents and burnt them.

Anyway read this shit cos it really shocked me, everything that happened seemed really fun and clever at the time especially since everyone was either drunk or druged but now reading this, I cant believe it happened, cos literally everyone was doing it.


Writing thing:

OK, please read if you went to READING and LEEDS festivals this year, and even if you didn't go read it... This is disgraceful, it really is.
Anybody that was involved in the offences documented within this bulletin you are fucking scum, and I hope you perish and burn on the nearest thing that you blow up or set fire too you fucking selfish bastards.
PLEASE READ THIS POST and PASS ON

im not a user of this or any festival Forums , but I work at Reading every year as one of those guys u see on the towers in your camp sites and had to Find somewhere where people who go to reading can read what I have to say .

we are from dc site services and work many festivals including leeds and glastonbury .. our works site is www.dcsiteservices.com

I had to find a forum , and at least try to describe to you guys , what its like from my point of view , I have been working at reading now for 7 years , firstly on the towers , and then other stuff. ive seen many things from dudes sellin weed , jumpin fences , robbing tents , rape , robbery , fraud and confiscation of glass bottles by stupid scottish security guards (and u know they drink them ) To evictions , streakers , mass riots and staff being mutilated.

But this year took the piss , and im about to tell u why.

Our Job Description is a "safety Steward" which means , we are there to help you guys , when your lost , f*cked up , Youve been robbed , theres a fire , any first aid (including emergencies) etc etc etc , Basically those dudes with STEWARD (not the oxfam ones) on their jackets , are there to save your ass. u need help of any kind , they are the ones to ask , we are Security with Brains , We control the campsite.
There are 300 stewards (150 working at anytime) , 1700ish security , and 20 police on site workin at anytime , the security are responcible for policing the site and handin over bad bad boys to the police etc , we are responcible for gettin the security to where they are needs , fire brigade to where their needed , and paramedics , and anything on the campsite ...

On sunday night This year I was working in the yellow Area , on one of the towers , now , ive seen some shit in the past 7 years , and evicted some right tits , who have been stealing from your tents , robbing your stuff , setting fire to your tents , well as I got on this tower in the early hours of the morning , I was informed it had been bottled by campers like 15 mins earlier ...so the staff that were on it , had to go sort themselves out , me and my colleague had been drafted in to help for an hour or so ...

when we got there there were 6 fires in a 1000metre radius from the tower , we have 10 exinguishers and 9 had been used , huge Gas canisteres were being thrown on to fires as well as deoderant cans and camping stoves , so there were 2 or 3 explosions per minute , mushrooms of fire and shrapnel in the darkness

The lights in Yellow had been knocked out by someone throwing toilet roll over the Light strings and Burning it , snapping the wire , and killing the generators curcuits , so its pitch black , all u can see are explosions and 1000`s of people around them . (we are supposed to put these out , even with 1000 rioting kids around them )
During all this , a lad appeared at the bottom of the tower , told my colleague that his girlfriend had been trampled in their tent by 200 rampaging lads , and had a serious back injury , I called in an emergency medic response and told my colleague to keep her still and find where she was to guide the ambulance in,
Pretty bad , all my roads are blocked by fires and explosions and 1000`s of u lot rampaging . I had called our fire rescue to come and deal with one of our larger fires as literrally 1000`s of campers had gathered round. . luckily this engine arrived quickly as it was local , and proceeded to clear a path towared the girl with a back injury to Cut her out of her tent . I was awaiting the ambulance still , bare in mind im gettin bottled 20 metres in the air , in darkness , mid riot .

I look down to watch the security drinkin their F*kin coffee , as my colleague fights his way thought a riot in a steward tabard trying to help this girl and hes gettin missiled ,the tabard is like a target. ... I notice a Lad aged about 15 heading to my tower Clutching his Crotch area , im 20 metres in the air and as he staggers towards the tower I can see the blood literally gushing from his lower chest / genitals . I see him collapse in front of my tower on to a camping chair and im looking Directly down onto him , I see my colleage ( a 26 yr old grown man) go white in half a second , then the security guard panic , then I see the lad pull his t-shirt up , and trousers down , he moved his hand of his groin , and I saw the blood literlly piss out all over the floor , his nuts were no longer there and there was a hole in his stomach , this lad saw this and just blacked out instantly and fell off the chair ......
My radio is going Nuts with riots everywhere , Fires everywhere , people pushing over ice cream vans , catering stalls setting fire to tents , and THROWING GAS CANISTERS IN FIRES , im trying to get through to my control .... This lad , had walked past a fire that someone had thrown a canister on , and got hit by shrapnel . and now , while your all rioting , hes dying at the bottom of my tower , Gushing blood , and im trying to help him , being bottled for 40 quid for a 12 hour shift.

I managed to get though to control , and request an serious serious proper uber large emergency unconsious casualty with multiple injuries losing blood fast , my fire engine was dealing with my back injury casualty , and we diverted Her ambulance to the lad who now has no sex life to look forward to , at 15.

the girl was cut from her tent and got taken off site within an hour. I spoke to paramedics at 7am who confirmed the lad had been taken offsite too ,and was stable but obviously in hospital .

Dudes , im in my early 30`s and after we got off that tower , me and my colleage , both 6foot odd strappin lads who u wouldnt wanna mess with , were in shock and crying , that poor lad , jesus ........

ive met some great people at festivals in 7 years , saved some lives , made some friends , evicted some twats ,

but my point is this , it was me - or that lad ,

either I had gone and put all those 6 fires out with my 1 extinguisher against 2000 rioting nutters on each fire who would have batered me or worse as I put a fire out a canister exploded and I end up where that lad is , or YOU GUYS get injured cos we cant help you cos you have stretched us to the limit with all your gay stuff.

its your lives ,we are there to help Y0U.

I wont be there to help u guys anymore im afraid , I cant go back after seeing that lad , im still in shock even now. a few of you reading this will laugh and say hahaha good riddance , but ive seen all our experienced staff disapear over the years .. for the same reason as me . and now u are gettin 16-18 year old kids who have never seen a festival .

I hope u guys read this and at least 1 person listens .
post #2
01 September 2005, 14:10 UTC#2
that's alot of bad stuff.
post #3
01 September 2005, 14:13 UTC#3
Fuck, thts pretty fucking bad.

U do anyhting tht u really shouldnt have dex other than just being there?

If so shame on u....shame on u!!!
post #4
01 September 2005, 14:13 UTC#4
posted this on my forum a few days back .... personally I dont think thats very cool
post #5
01 September 2005, 14:18 UTC#5
Well the actual riot I was just there, not actually doing anything bad. I was just part of the 'mob'.


But except for that, no I didnt do anything bad.
post #6
01 September 2005, 14:35 UTC#6
That story is so fucking bad...

He said bottled alot...



Image file not present in the recovered backup No but really thats wrong..
post #7
01 September 2005, 14:39 UTC#7
That is properly fucked up! Why do people do that shit, I really can't see the appeal. Image file not present in the recovered backup
post #8
01 September 2005, 14:40 UTC#8
That just sounds fucked up man and there is no need for all that crap that kicked off.
I have been to festivals before and never had any inclination to start or do any of the above.
Hope some people read his post a take note.
post #9
01 September 2005, 14:42 UTC#9
Did that kid actually lose his penis? It sucks because he was the one that had to pay for everyone elses fucked up attitiudes.. he was just a kid...
post #10
01 September 2005, 14:42 UTC#10
Man, that's fucked up.

I feel sorry for the people whose lives are fucked up because of mindless stupidity. Shame on those people, and fuck them to hell.
post #11
01 September 2005, 14:43 UTC#11
I don't mean to be disrespectful.... but isn't that what the Webby thing was?
post #12
01 September 2005, 14:45 UTC#12
QUOTE(lifeofboredom @ Sep 1 2005, 04:43 PM)
I don't mean to be disrespectful.... but isn't that what the Webby thing was?
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Eh?
post #13
01 September 2005, 14:45 UTC#13
I feel the same.

Even though I was just there kinda thing, I still kinda feel guilty.

But I think Reading could avoid the riots by not closing the rave tent on the last night.

Cos We were on the way to it, found out it was shut, and suddenly saw the angry mob and we had nothing better to do and it seemed like a laugh.

But I think its sadabout what happened to some of the people there.
post #14
01 September 2005, 14:47 UTC#14
Yeah, human loss of life, or injury is a very tragic thing. This sorta thing makes me pissed off, how people can be so mindless.

The young society of today needs a lot of education.
post #15
01 September 2005, 14:48 UTC#15
fucking pathetic .. why cant people enjoy them elves and just be civil
post #16
01 September 2005, 14:51 UTC#16
I won't be suprised if they start stopping festivals soon because of shit like this. It'll be such a shame Image file not present in the recovered backup
post #17
01 September 2005, 14:51 UTC#17
QUOTE(Tomm @ Sep 1 2005, 04:48 PM)
fucking pathetic .. why cant people enjoy them elves and just be civil
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Stole the words from my mouth.

post #18
01 September 2005, 14:51 UTC#18
QUOTE(Callum C.R @ Sep 1 2005, 02:51 PM)
I won't be suprised if they start stopping festivals soon because of shit like this. It'll be such a shame Image file not present in the recovered backup
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post #19
01 September 2005, 14:51 UTC#19
QUOTE(Callum C.R @ Sep 1 2005, 04:51 PM)
I won't be suprised if they start stopping festivals soon because of shit like this. It'll be such a shame Image file not present in the recovered backup
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Exactly what I am thinking also.
post #20
01 September 2005, 14:52 UTC#20
maybe .. they guys doign this should have their balls cut off now ... I really feel for that guy
post #21
01 September 2005, 14:55 UTC#21
Same, knowing he can never have kids, because some louts decided to be faggots for a nights mindless enjoyment. Fuck them.

My mate was telling me; In belgium this same sorta thing happens in "hardcore festivals" basically, hardcore is a mix of industrial, techno, rave and metal. Once a year, in the festivals everyone gets so drugged up, and the lyrics are so racist, that after the festival, 500 or so people march out and look for foreigners, to kill.

Not cool, not fucking cool.
post #22
01 September 2005, 14:55 UTC#22
Wasn't there any armed police men? Image file not present in the recovered backup
post #23
01 September 2005, 14:55 UTC#23
QUOTE(gman @ Sep 1 2005, 02:47 PM)
Yeah, human loss of life, or injury is a very tragic thing. This sorta thing makes me pissed off, how people can be so mindless.

The young society of today needs a lot of education.
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I second that
post #24
01 September 2005, 14:56 UTC#24
QUOTE(Callum C.R @ Sep 1 2005, 04:55 PM)
Wasn't there any armed police men? Image file not present in the recovered backup
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Probably, but even with arms..they'd have easily been overwhelmed.
post #25
01 September 2005, 14:57 UTC#25
Meh what's this world comming to Image file not present in the recovered backup
post #26
01 September 2005, 14:58 UTC#26
QUOTE(Callum C.R @ Sep 1 2005, 02:57 PM)
Meh what's this world comming to Image file not present in the recovered backup
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exactly ... its fucking disgracefull
post #27
01 September 2005, 14:59 UTC#27
The truth is that almost everyone on HGF would have been the in the crowd either in the mob or in the huge circles around these huge explosions, because it wasnt like anyone was getting hurt. It was just everyone having a laugh. It just happens that there was a few injuries, which to be honest happens at most festivals. It seems crazy and disrespectful when u read the article cos its coming from 1 point of view. The truth is everyone was doing it, no one was deliberately hurting poeple they were just having a laugh, and any of you if you were drunk I can garuntee you would be there like everyone else.

But like I sed it seemed fun at tthe time, but it shocked me when I read about the injuries cos I obviously didnt see any of these injuries when this thing was actually happening and it just seemed like such a laugh.

so it was quite shocking
post #28
01 September 2005, 15:01 UTC#28
QUOTE(DEX @ Sep 1 2005, 02:59 PM)
The truth is that almost everyone on HGF would have been the in the crowd either in the mob or in the huge circles around these huge explosions, because it wasnt like anyone was getting hurt. It was just everyone having a laugh. It just happens that there was a few injuries, which to be honest happens at most festivals. It seems crazy and disrespectful when u read the article cos its coming from 1 point of view. The truth is everyone was doing it, no one was deliberately hurting poeple they were just having a laugh, and any of you if you were drunk I can garuntee you would be there like everyone else.

But like I sed it seemed fun at tthe time, but it shocked me when I read about the injuries cos I obviously didnt see any of these injuries when this thing was actually happening and it just seemed like such a laugh.

so it was quite shocking
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that doesnt account for how some dude lost his bollocks tho... people should think
post #29
01 September 2005, 15:01 UTC#29
Dex, you're giving me the impression you were involved more than you were, I'd ammend your posts, for obvious reasons.

Anyway, I'm sure it wasn't intentional, but whether drunk or not, it doesn't take a fucking brain scientist to realise setting fire to tents, not knowing if they are occupied or not is fucking stupid.
post #30
01 September 2005, 15:02 UTC#30
QUOTE(gman @ Sep 1 2005, 03:01 PM)
Dex, you're giving me the impression you were involved more than you were, I'd ammend your posts, for obvious reasons.

Anyway, I'm sure it wasn't intentional, but whether drunk or not, it doesn't take a fucking brain scientist to realise setting fire to tents, not knowing if they are occupied or not is fucking stupid.
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my point exactly .