Campaigners start fund to have Wireless Festival banned from Finsbury Park

Sebastian Mann11 April 2016

Campaigners are hoping to raise tens of thousands of pounds to fund a legal challenge to halt a huge music festival from being held in Finsbury Park.

Last year's Wireless festival was blighted by hordes of gatecrashers, violence, and serious offences including knife crime. This year's festival has already been given the go-ahead by council chiefs.

But members of the Friends of Finsbury Park group claim Haringey Council has acted unlawfully in giving the green light to this year's festival.

They are trying to raise the cash to fund a legal challenge to have it axed on the basis that the council had no right to grant the festival permission under the Greater London Parks and Open Spaces Act 1967.

Last year the urban music festival was attended by 150,000 people over three days and featured acts including David Guetta and Nicki Minaj.

But it hit the headlines for the wrong reasons as large crowds of youths were filmed trying to break-in to the event by climbing fences or tearing down barriers.

David Lammy described the impact of last year's festival on the park as 'heartbreaking' (Picture: Friends of Finsbury Park)
Friends of Finsbury Park

One shocking video showed a lone police officer attempting to hold off a crowd of would-be gatecrashers with a baton.

There were also claims of revellers using residents’ front gardens as toilets and at least eight people were arrested for offences including knife possession and actual bodily harm.

Campaigners are concerned that this year’s event, where headliners this year include Calvin Harris and Chase & Status, could bring yet more disorder to the area.

Friends of Finsbury Park chair Tom Palin said organisers erected “watch towers like a prison” ahead of the Ceremony and United festivals held in the park later later in the summer of 2015.

He said: “This summer I think Haringey Council are right on the edge of outright chaos.

“Residents in the area get scared of this. There’s a public disorder side to this and I’m really worried about that.

“It’s huge and I’m surprised they’ve managed to control it in the past.”

He said there were also concerns the event could cause lasting environmental damage to the park.

“Last year the fields were reduced to dust and they have never recovered properly – they’re still patchy.

“It’s been getting worse and worse and I’m really worried about what it will do.”

The group’s complaints echo criticism levelled by Tottenham MP David Lammy, whose constituency borders the park, after last year’s event.

He complained it left the park looking like the “Serengeti”.

Hopes of banishing the event from the park this year hinge on a judicial review being filed by campaigners in the coming weeks.

Today they launched an online campaign to raise up to £35,000 to cover the legal costs. Their first target is £5,000, which will pay for initial legal proceedings.

They say Haringey’s actions are unlawful because the festival shuts off 27 per cent of the park when the maximum permitted by legislation is 10 per cent.

They also claim current plans will see events held in the park on more days this year than permitted by law. Wireless will take place from July 8-10 this summer.

Campaigners have until the end of the month to officially submit an application for judicial review before finding out whether they will have their day in court.

A Haringey Council spokeswoman said she hoped people would see “improvements” in how the event was delivered this year.

She added: “Music festivals like Wireless are part of a range of events that take place in the park each year – others include fun fairs and family attractions, charity gatherings and fun runs.

“Events help fund new facilities and improvements such as the recently refurbished Finsbury Park ball courts."

Festival organisers have been contacted for comment.

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