Massive illegal Easter rave with 3,000 revellers sparks huge police operation as major road shut and 15 people arrested

POLICE raced to shut down an illegal rave on Easter Sunday, as 3000 partygoers flooded to the woodland event.

The authorities were forced to shut down the roads and make 15 arrests, in a desperate bid to bring the event to a close.

Police were called to an “unlicensed music event” in Charlton Wood, Chichester, after locals noticed a procession of cars parked on the side of the road. 

One resident even claimed to have seen hundreds of cars heading to the event. 

Reports of the event, which actually took place in the woods, came in at 10pm which prompted police to shut down nearby roads.  

The authorities then enacted Section 63 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act in order to shut down the dance event, which had over 3000 attendees. 

The rave was so well-attended that the police realised almost immediately that they were outnumbered. 

This meant they were forced to bolster their own numbers with Special Constables before bringing the event to an end. 

Fifteen ravers were arrested, eleven of which were charged with drink or drug-driving. 

Another was arrested under suspicion of supplying illegal drugs to partygoers, while three others were charged with carrying out unauthorised licensing activity. 

Police seized speakers and sound equipment, as partygoers were ordered to abandon their vehicles if they were not “fit to drive”

Superintendent Shane Baker said: “I’d like to thank the public for their patience and understanding while we responded to this incident.

“Events of this nature can have a hugely detrimental impact on the environment, they can cause extreme distress to livestock and they can significantly disturb local residents.

“But the bottom line is they are illegal.

“They can also heavily impact the local road network through abandoned vehicles, traffic build-up and road traffic offences, and result in a huge strain on resources of the emergency services.

“I’d like to thank all staff and officers – some of whom have worked throughout the night – to ensure this incident was brought to a safe and successful conclusion.

“I’d also like to remind any motorists to collect any vehicles they may have abandoned, but only when they are fit to drive. 

“Anyone caught driving under the influence of drink or drugs will be dealt with robustly.”

Easter is a busy period on the party calendar, with police regularly having to bring illegal gatherings to an end. 

In one infamous incident in 2018, police had to shut down an illegal rave in an abandoned Toys R Us warehouse. 

Attendees had spray-painted over the signs, changing them to read “Raves R Us”. 

Five people were arrested, as police shut down the event. 

Police also raced to bring an end to two illegal raves on Easter Sunday in 2024, after a stunned local stumbled upon the huge party. 

One man was arrested for being in possession of a Class A drug and for assaulting an emergency worker.