Glastonbury Security

[Joshuwarr]

You say how and then display it!!! How is it obvious??

[tazzyb]

to be honest I do think there is more to this story then meets the eye. I have never seen any trouble at glastonbury. I know the law of averages mean there has to be some but never seen anything.

Its the same with having things stolen. Next year will be my 13th year going to festivals (hope its not a case of 13 unlucky for some) and never had anything stolen. And this is Glasto, V stafford, t in the park and Leeds. but once again I know it happens.

Your son must have been terrified and yourself really worried when he called you, but there must be more to this story then a random attack. If it was random doubt it was real security

[itsybitsy]

Just for the record, in 2007 we were walking up Pennards back to our tents when we saw a young guy who was very much worse for wear being hassled by a group of security, purely because he was lying on a bale of straw and couldn't stand up when they asked him to. They were starting to get aggressive and were trying to drag him away saying that they were going to throw him off site. Anyway I told them that he was with us and that we'd take him to his tent, we sat him under our gazebo for most of the night and kept an eye on until he was in a fit state to leave. Now if we hadn't done that and they had thrown him out, I dread to think what would've happened because he certainly wasn't in a fit state to look after himself.

I agree that this is an isolated incident and I was shocked at the time, but sadly there are a very small number of security people out there, who seen to like bullying younger glasto goers. So I don't think that RetinalRobs son is lying, he was just extremely unlucky to get picked on by a small minority.

[Madmark]

Never never never never would happen, your boy probably seen walking pineapples and talking elephants the same night

[krisskross]

easy guys, give the guy the benefit of the doubt. Its easy to judge just because you've only had good experiences at glasto so anyone that says otherwise is obviously lying!

There maybe more to the story - but the message wasn't about that. Its a good piece of advice to not go around alone - especially if you are in a bit of a state...

edit: trips over and falls off moral high ground

Edited October 5, 2008 by krisskross

[Joshuwarr]

Well the thread is only going to put people off as I went around alone and had an amazing time. Never felt threatended or anything. But may I also ask why if this poor lad was beaten up, nobody tried to stop it from happening?! considering he was following a large group also.

[Chris-TT]

It’s interesting that the people who know security on a more intimate level than the rest of us are the main ones saying this story may have some truth.

The only thing that makes me wonder about the validity of the story is why didn’t this story ever make the papers, and why has it only just come to light on the forum several months after the festival?

[Gerwin]

Thats unlucky mate, me and 2 mates went this year (all 16) i remember wandering about when it was dark a fair bit and so did my mates aswell, and none of us got attacked.

[Cooter]

Never never never never would happen:

Edited October 5, 2008 by Cooter

[RetinalRob]

The reason for posting this now is for people to be aware of what has happend. Its everyones choice to say it was lies or the truth. I wrote to Mr Eavis a week after the festival and still havent had a reply. I hope that maybe just maybe he may hear about this topic and sit up and at least aknowledge the issues at hand and at least respond to a letter.

Thankyou all for your responces good or bad it needed to be said.

It’s interesting that the people who know security on a more intimate level than the rest of us are the main ones saying this story may have some truth.

The only thing that makes me wonder about the validity of the story is why didn’t this story ever make the papers, and why has it only just come to light on the forum several months after the festival?

[Joshuwarr]

I can't describe posts like this other than pure naiveity and stupidity. What is it with you (Joshuwarr included) and your rose tinted glasses, have you never seen anyone being out of order for no apparent reason. Shock horror some nasty things happen at Glasto too! Whether this guys story is legit or not, making posts like that is just a joke and possibly bordering on trolling, apologies for not getting the joke if you were!

[chuckley]

could happen anywhere. not just a festival... try your local nightclub at kicking out time... but anyway... the story u have relaid sounds fabricated to me...

by the sounds of it (if true) your son got lairy whilst drunk with security and they chucked him out...

so he came home early from the fest with NO belongings?!

[UEF]

Either made up or smoking PCP.

[Rach7]

On the wednesday night i was a vulnerable drunken festival virgin, got lost and i mean got lost, the security guards where nothing but nice to me helped me ring my boyfriend to come get me and they were soo nice, i never saw one bit of trouble at the festival and this was what i loved mostest about the festival! the laid back attitude was amazing! I think from what you said your son may have been telling you porkies.

[Brizzle]

There were certanly a few dodgy security guards about in 2007 but I thankfully didn't see any in 2008, in fact most security I came across were very pleasant, but that doen't mean there wasn't the odd bad apple.

I saw some guy getting a right hiding up the park area in 2007 for no reason other than he was plastered and couldn't get up when security asked him to move (not sure why they wanted him to move as he was just sat down on his own and nowhere near the walkway). He quite rightly protested when security started dragging through the mud so they gave him a kicking and dragged him away. I saw lots of security intimidating the younger and smaller festival goers that year too. There were quite a few bullies for sure.

From the experieces I described above, and more more things I've seen the odd security guard doing in the past, I see no reason to doubt your sons story, but im sure the likelyhood of it happening again are small. I read of quite a few incidents in 2007 and im hoping it was something that was addressed in 2008 and that your sons experience was an isoled one?

[Storm_NL]

My question is why bring this story up today?

It would have been more appropriately aired after the festival, when people were sharing their stories.

Everybody online today are Glasto lovers who won't be dissuaded from buying tickets due to a scare story like this.

[Boris]

I smell a rat too. Or maybe a Troll...

New member and interesting timing.

[alemart]

I'm both amazed and saddened if this story is true.

Definitely one of my favourite aspects of Glastonbury is the friendly and safe atmosphere!

I would definitely feel safer walking around Glasto alone at 3 in the morning than my home town!!

[mantisinc]

I agree - I'd feel much safer in glasto at night than in my home town.

Edited October 5, 2008 by mantisinc

[spliffboy]

How the hell am I being naive?! Firstly, I have never heard of such violence from security guards - ESPECIALLY unprovoked. It is so very obvious that your son was doing something he shouldn't have been doing to get thrown out like that. And you said yourself about the process you go through of being ejected, so has it not ocurred to you that maybe it wasn't security who chucked him out? I'm not saying damage wasn't done to your son I'm just saying that he is either lying about most of it or that he is not telling you what he did to be "attacked" as you put it. Because I have never heard of a case like this even though you say "this has happened to others."

[Singularity]

Hmm, I dont know about the ground security, but the security in the pit during Kings of Leon were quite the douchebags.

[Goblinz]

There has been problems with security being over-zaelous on other years. In 2007 I heard reports of security keeping their uniforms on after shifts and "busting people" ie taking their stash and other belongings and then selling the stash on later. These came from people working in security.

I didn't hear any reports of anything this bad this year, but there was a harsh incident near where we had camped. Security caught 2 lads smoking, searched them, got the police in and the 2 lads spent the night in the cells. Whther that was because security/police have to be shown to be doing something about drugs or whether this group had pissed security off as they were being very drunk/noisy and where very close to the security/stewards caravan is something to take into account.

There's a lot that cannot be answered in your case, ie if these guys were security, if they mistook your son for someone who had been seen robbing tents (there were quite a few cases last year), etc, but I see no reason to doubt your sons story.

The important thing here is that whether your son was doing something he shouldn't have been doing or not, he was assaulted by security or by people posing as security, the unfortunate thing is that if there's no evidence that this actually was security or witnesse then there's probably nothing that can be done.

If you still want to make Michael Eavis awar of this then send him another letter/phone call. He's a very busy man especially after/before the festival so he may not have read the letter (perhaps).

Try not to worry about sending him again. The hances this has happened in he first place were slim so hopefully he won't have another similar experience.. I should imaging he'd e wary of walking around on his own at the festival now anyway.

All the people doubting the posters gunuinity (is that even a word), please cold you maybe explain why someone would make this up and post it? What motive can you see, is it some sort of conspiracy, are you smoking too much pot? Remember there's lots of lurkers here who aren't regitered. his person mentioned apost they saw last year, which I remember too so they've been on the scene for a while.

Incidentally if I found myself at Glasto in a random field feeling dazed and missing various items of clothing/footware with partialmemory loss then I would not be suprised

G

Edited October 5, 2008 by Goblinz

[Joshuwarr]

there was a lengthy post last year from someone looking for witnesses after he was beaten up by security on site (somewhere around the park if memory serves).............a regular visitor to the forum like yourself should remember it!!!

and to presume that the boy is lying because you 'have never heard of a case like this' is just a tad arrogant don't you think........... you're not omnipotent are you?

[Cooter]

I would definitely feel safer walking around Glasto alone at 3 in the morning than my home town!!

[DTichborne]

The Cinema Field is very busy on Saturday night provided the weather's OK (which it was) - were there no witnesses?