Moment police break up illegal rave attended by more than 150 revellers

The organiser of an illegal rave inside an abandoned East London pub that had reached dangerous levels of squalor is facing a £10,000 fine under coronavirus laws.

Met Police officers were horrified to discover more than 150 revellers packed inside the ‘hazardous and unsanitary hall’ where water was leaking from the ceiling.

They busted the boarded-up venue on Wythes Road, Docklands, shortly after 9.30am on Sunday following reports of violence from neighbours.

To the sound of thumping music blaring out of large speakers, bodycam footage captured the moment constables entered the graffiti-daubed pub and broke up the crowd.  

A 30-year-old man was identified as the organiser and ‘reported for consideration of a £10,000 fixed penalty notice’ – the maximum fine for breaching tough coronavirus regulation. 

A team of specialist officers will now consider whether the threshold to hand down the hefty fine has been met. 

Sergeant Simon Biggs, who led the police raid, scolded the ravers for their recklessness as the country grapples with a surge in infections. 

He said: ‘When I arrived on scene, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and was shocked by the event organiser’s blatant disregard for the safety of those there. 

‘This health crisis has claimed thousands of lives and people attending events such as this risk furthering the spread of this deadly virus.’

Video released by Scotland Yard this morning captures the moment police break up the unlicensed rave.

It shows officers entering the building, where debris is strewn on the floor of a piece of guttering has been ripped out.

Then then walk into the dimly-lit hall and are confronted with dozens of young people, who had set up DJ decks plugged into a large sound system.

Officers order the crowd to leave, and they appear to comply and begin filing out of the building.

Recalling the horrific state of the pub, Sgt Biggs said: ‘The conditions at this abandoned pub were awful, there was no running water, poor sanitary conditions, no social distancing measures and most of those attending were not wearing a face covering.

‘In addition to the obvious threat of the virus, the building was also evidently in a serious state of disrepair. 

‘Water was dripping from the ceiling and there were a number of other hazards. After leaving, officers made sure to secure the building to prevent further access.’

At the end of the video, a police officer is seen giving a man, understood to be the organiser, a dressing down outside, telling him they could hear the music from outside ‘clear as day’ and that ‘people were trying to sleep.’