http://thefreethoughtproject.com/police-threaten-c... Sheriff's Department Promises to Turn ‘Burning Man' Festival into a Police State Pershing County, NV - There is a new sheriff in town in the Burning Man jurisdiction, and he promises more arrests than ever at the world-famous music and arts festival next week. Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen admitted that there would be more nonviolent “crime†at the festival than the police will be able to deal with, but they are determined to write as many tickets and make as many arrests as they possibly can. “We don't have the personnel to issue citations to 70,000 naked people on the playa, but we will be upholding the law to the best of our ability,†Allen told the Associated Press. While the former sheriff Richard Machado was known to be somewhat hands-off during the festival, Allen is committed to cracking down on the peaceful partiers, hiring more officers than ever for the annual event. In previous years, burners had to be more concerned about Bureau of Land Management (BLM) a federal organization tasked with patrolling the event. Now, along with the BLM, burners will now be facing a local police department that is foaming at the mouth to throw them in cages. Sadly, the organizers of the festival are not standing up to protect their customers but are cooperating with the police and allowing this to happen. “We've been working with (Allen) since his election, and he's been involved with all of the large coordination efforts. It's an ongoing process on education, but he hasn't been out there for a few years, so he hasn't seen the progress we've made in recent years,†Burning Man spokesman Jim Graham said. Burning Man organizers are facing problems of their own with the Nevada government. They may be moving out of the state next year, now that legislators have passed a new tax specifically targetting the festival, adding a 9% tax onto ticket sales. If the festival moves, which it should, they must consider private land in order to keep their customers safe from the police. By organizing their event in a public space, as they do now, they are allowing police and federal agencies to prowl the land without any restrictions. If the event were held on private land, however, as many festivals are, they would be able to prevent the police from entering, or at the very least be in total control of the police presence at the venue. The festival is scheduled to take place August 30th through September 7th. Read more at http://thefreethoughtproject.com/police-threaten-c... Read more at http://thefreethoughtproject.com/police-threaten-c...
Yea... About 20 years ago when it was actually cool, and you could have fun without worrying about getting busted :/ Ive never been, and now have no desire to attend
Sounds like this is on the organizers for having it on public property. They got lucky for years not having to deal with much police intervention. But looks like the organizers are welcoming the police in this year. Sad they don't care about their customers
I don't really get or understand burning man, but it was an event I wanted to attend since the Moment I heard about it mannnnny years ago....it seemed like an anything goes environment, that was safe. But now it seems like the sheriff is going to change the behaviors that made burning man "burning man" To bad. A great experiances ruined by government butting in people's lives But fuck it. Move the festival somewhere else. How much money does it bring into the local economy? Or is the festival creating a drain on local resources? Why don't they want burning man anymore?
Fuck going to a festival on public property. My friends and I did that last August in Wisconsin for the Summer Set Festival. Every car was thoroughly stripped at the festival entrance, every bag torn apart and everyone patted down looking for drugs and alcohol. We waited in line for 3 hours after getting there at 11pm. And we still got mass shit in lol Getting to our camp site we were all under the impression that things would be more relaxed inside the actual festival grounds and hopefully the bullshit at the gate was the last of it. Nope, there were roving crews of local police with drug dogs going from car to car, campsite to campsite, and tent to tent demanding that they search whatever they want. There were 4 different 3 story tall watchtowers throughout the campsite. There were even privately contracted drug dog companies roaming around. So it was about $120 per ticket, an extra $375 to actually have a campsite in the festival area and we had absolutely 0 privacy for 3 days straight. Absolute horseshit. We couldn't even smoke a bowl in our tents without having our shit raided and stolen. Fuck the town of Summer Set and fuck all of their bored cops. I hope your town burns to the ground.
Yea fuck that... Should just move it to a large farm. Woodstock-esque... Pay the property owner for use of the land/power/water/cleanup. Private property mean no trespassing, and warrants are needed for entry. Hire private security to quell any violence. Done deal. Everyone is happy.
Yeah.. Isn't the entire point of being in this windy desert to ESCAPE the constraints of society? lol. Epic money grab, playing both sides; well played organizers.
Like the cops wouldn't find some way to still fuck it up. They'll say you guys didn't get a noise permit or some bullshit like that.
Thats why security at the gate has the necessary permits prominently displayed Could they bust in illegally and fuck it all up? Sure. But I doubt anything would stick, as everything would be based on illegal entry. A more likely scenario would be that the cops bust everyone going into the festival.. Stopping cars for "weaving" or "equipment violations", then letting dumb kids incriminate themselves by allowing illegal searches. 1: "Am I free to go?" 2: "I do not consent to searches" 3: "I do not answer questions that may incriminate myself" 4: "Defer all questions to my attorney" Learn those 4 phrases. They could save you a LOT of headaches one day Remember probable cause means the officer must see something incriminating in the vehicle (I.E. roaches in the ashtray, bong on the back seat), so PUT THAT SHIT AWAY. The safest place for that stuff is always the trunk, or a locked bag/case. While "Blunt rides" are fun, its an open invitation to getting busted. In many states the "odor of marijuana" is probable cause, so smoke that shit in your house, or a secluded area. Dont be stupid - Dont get busted
I was mostly kidding haha. I usually ride with my bud vac sealed and just smoke before I leave or after I get back. Number one mistake is smoking in the car with a bunch of other shit. Best way to burn in the car is to just bring a joint or two that way you can burn down all the evidence by the time you're done smoking.
I live in a smell is probable cause state and always remember smell cannot be proven or disproven at a court date... If the cop wants in your car in a smell state, they will get in your car by saying they smell something and there's nothing you can do to say they are lying or were lying at the court date if there is one, so be careful...
Hopefully this results in some mass.chaos. I'd like to see those pigs fight for their paychecks -Yuri
Yeah same here I was thinking of going next year but I don't want to deal with bullshit. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
It's simple really. Burning man should be moved to another state like everyone else has said. If this event is a good source of income for the town closest to Black rock desert I believe if I'm right, that would be Reno NV... If it's a good source of tourist income for Reno then I say let them feel the pain of losing the event with their pocket books. Allow the local government to feel the pain in their greedy ass pocketbooks.
I've heard from reliable sources that Bluegrass festivals are basically Burning Man without the heat strokes. Still a shame though, I'd have like to go, but fuck tha police.
Actually it taxes the system because all the tourists bring everything in with them. Very little goes into the local economy. The only thing they get paid for is the permit, and that doesnt cover the huge police expense. Originally it was just a few hundred people and it didnt tax the system or local economy at all. Now with thousands showing up, its a HUGE tax on the local economy... Which is why they want to shut it down.
drug party crashed by teh police.....it was a hedonistic hippy drug fest with some kewl fucking art. not worth the art, frankly
While I agree to a point, I can't hate on any event that utilizes an effigy. Something so barbaric and brutal about it. Lol.