A friend's car was parked just inside the gate of the BDB the whole weekend (she was doing security/ferrying people about). the car registration was clocked by the Police, and she was stopped no less than four times. Not only stopped, but removed from the vehicle, escorted to a tent while the car was thoroughly searched inside and out each time. Since returning, she has also been stopped by her local police. When challenged, the Police told her it was under the terrorist act, and that they do not need 'reasonable cause' to stop her. It would appear then that 'bikers' are now being treated the same as potential suicide bombers.   Personally, I think it is all part and parcel of the Police wanting to close Bulldog down... what are your thoughts, and has anyone esle been stopped and searched?                                                                                                                                                                                 

Personally, I think it is all part and parcel of the Police wanting to close Bulldog down

Sounds about right to me.

Basically, it seems that they're trying to make it as awkward as possible, so that people don't want to leave the site all weekend... This means that local businesses won't gain from the extra trade they've come to enjoy for the past couple of decades and won't be as likely to argue against the Police efforts to get the licence overturned.

They've been unsuccessful so far and that, to a fair degree, has been as a result of local support for the event.

It's had pretty much a trouble-free history, so they can't use the "public safety" argument effectively. They're using Gerry Tobin's murder as an excuse to over-Police the event and go for the "public safety" angle, but seeing as he was murdered some 30 miles away from it, I fail to see how a big old security cordon around the site is going to help prevent anything like that happening again.

But if you cause a loss to local trade, the knock-on effect will be that the local authority and businesses will no longer be keen to support the event. A pretty underhand, but potentially effective tactic.

Additionally, if you cause inconvenience to visitors, both during AND after the event, there's every possibility that people will get fed up of attending, which would be another way to get rid of the Bash.

Chief Constable Keith Bristow said: "While the policing operation did result in a number of arrests, I am relieved that no one was killed or seriously injured this year as a direct result of having attended this event."
Ye gads!Yes. There were a number of arrests. 11. That seems to be the number. A whole ELEVEN. Out of what, 23,000 visitors? Over a long weekend of hard partying? Hardly a great return for the public purse shelling out for a massive Police operation like this.
                                                                                                                                                                             

well this time we didnt get pulled into the layby by the police, like last year...could this be the fact we were  not on harleys this year....anyway....there could only have been arrests out of the site as no police were inside the venue from what i saw anyway......i would like to thank the organisers for another cracking bulldog bash....didnt see one bit of trouble....wicked weekend

We had a great weekend....didnt get stopped going in or out...didnt see any coppers on site....didnt see one iota of trouble all weekend...   Personally it looked like plenty of folks were coming and going (although we didnt leave the site once there)...so hopefully the locals will still be keen for it to continue...  As for putting people off attending...personally I think it may have the opposite effect....I think folk will be more likely to attend to say 'bugger you' *polite version* to the police......   Eleven arrests..?..pfffft....! Maybe the police should concentrate more on the chav-infested trendy festivals where Ive heard stories of tents getting set on fire/urinated on etc etc and leave the bike ones alone....                                                                                                                                                                               

Excellent news Catey  That's what I was hoping to hear - plenty of coming & going from the site - that's my feeling too, that folk should do the 'bugger you' thing 

Best way is to continue the trouble-free great atmosphere the Bully's always had and to cock a snook at the Police and their efforts to "prove" that bikers are a bunch of ne'er do wells

There are more arrests in your average City Centre High Street on a Saturday night. 11 people out of 23,000 ain't bad!

Doesn't specify what the arrests are for but does say that 9 (I think?) "lock knives" were handed in... using the expression "handed in" strikes me as folk volunteered to hand them over, rather than that they've been arrested for possession. Probably just camping knives - I heard that was all they got last year and that no charges were finally brought against those they'd arrested.

P.S. Good to "see" you                                                                                                                                                                               

the police never enter the site....there is no need with the on site security                                                                                                                                                                              

Yeah we know.

There's been over 2 decades of co-operation between the organisers and the Police. It's only been since Gerry's murder, 30 miles away from the site, that the Police have been raising licence objections and making it awkward for bash visitors when they fail to get the licence revoked.

Thanks Lou   nice to 'see' you too.... Gotta say I felt far safer wandering round BD on me tod than I ever would in any of my local town centres on a weekend......   And slightly off topic...but was pleased to find beer prices had gone down since last time I went (and was nice n cold)...stewards were helpful and not anal.....drag strip was brilliant...loo's were kept pretty clean...atmosphere v friendly....and we even got 3 days of sun! Only downsides were rain all thursday night while setting up, multitudes of pesky wasps (maybe the money would be better spent getting rid of them!) and freezin my ass off when I finally got to bed!) Roll on next year!                                                                                                                                                                                

I agree that the overbearing police tactics could never detract from the wnderful event that is Bulldog... sad that for reasons beyond my control, I couldn't make it this year. From what I hear, people that the Police viewed as 'involved' in some way were the ones being targetted for stopping and being searched. No one I knew was arrested, and that wasn't what I was discussing originally. There are never a high proportion of arrests at the Bulldog, cos we is all peace loving people!

& that's the point... it's always been a trouble-free event, so there's no justification (IMO) for the Police to object to the licence or to launch such a massive stop n search jobbie every year...

Of course, if it doesn't put people off leaving the site and spending their hard-earned pennies in the surrounding area, the Police could still manage to get the locals to object, cos their Council Tax will be on the increase every year due to this over-zealous policing of the roads surrounding the event and all that overtime & no doubt, extra bods shipped in from other regions that they'll have to pay for.

P.S. Nice off-topic Show report Catey - loos are important! As is the price of beer.

You missed out the custom show *tuts* Any good?
                                                                                                                                                                             

Ooops... I got distracted... what I meant to go on to say was that the Police have declared the operation a success and are taking credit for nobody getting injured or killed at the Bash.

Aye, right!

They have also declared that they will continue to pursue all legal means of getting the Bash closed down.

The custom show at the bash was awesome, breathtaking bikes which must of cost a fortune to engineer and build, the toilets were really clean, re "lock knives" when we got stopped last year, i had two leatherman tools on my belt along with a torch which i always carry for work and camping, the police checked them out and even tho the blades locked they were not concerned, saying they carry them anyway, i was surprised to be honest, but they were pleasant, good humoured, whether that was because i am a police contractor i dont know, i would like to of thought they were like that with everyone, but i suppose it all depends how you react when asked to be searched.

That's all that's been reported in the news "lock knives"... It was also all that was reported last year too, so you were one of the lucky ones.

http://www.24dash.com/news/Local_Government/2009-08-10-Police-chief-to-explore-all-legal-opportunies-to-stop-Bulldog-Bash

leatherman told are more of a multi tool, i dont want people to get the impression i carry knives as i dont, for me i have more to lose than most, the contract to carry all lock work for nottingham police for one.                                                                                                                                                                             

No I appreciate that, but people were arrested last year for carrying knives which were merely camping knives, e.g. "swiss army knife" type things.

As far as I've heard, nobody ever got charged ultimately and nothing ever went to court.

There were more arrests last year at the climate camp in Kent but don't see then trying to shut them down. Jim Henson would be really proud of his Muppets last year.                                                                                                                                                                             

the policing did seem very ott on the approach to long marston, police in unmarked cars on r/abouts taking photos of reg plates, speed van on the approach god knows how many police in the layby.....all for what ?? there was no trouble in the site as far as i saw, just a load of people enjoying themselves

I envy all you lucky people who went and supported the BDB , here i sat and cancelled at the last moment with a ticket bought in june already...well next year hopefully i'll be there too ..hope you're gonna post some pics for us unlucky one's Ian .