Bag searches

[jonnyisRFC]

4 hours ago, Johnnyseven said:

 

Yeah searches at gate A on Weds seemed minimal. Saw one guy asked if he had any glass and his big rucksack squeezed a bit but that was it.

Haha, small chance this was me! I got searched for the first time ever at Glastonbury (pga).  Matey literally stuck his hand in my bag for 10 seconds and asked if I had any glass in there and that was it. As I was putting my bag back on my back, he started searching someone else, found a little container (no idea what it was, possibly pills) when asked what it was, the guy said “…errr… just some snacks” 😂😂 the queue started moving at this point so I’m not sure if they were confiscated or not. 

[Paul ™]

5 hours ago, philipsteak said:

 

Even the tiny ones like Stickleball?

They service gates external to the Fortress, so no. 

[Derby_Dave]

In and out 3 times never a glance.

 

15 Glastonbury festivals and yet to be searched.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

6 hours ago, Pinhead said:

Have never been searched as I look like Doc Emmet Brown and so a safe bet I'm clean. 

 

Am I missing something? I've just looked up 'Doc Emmet Brown', and would have thought that anyone looking like that would be ripe for a good checking over - possibly including a 'bend over' job. Is it sarcasm?

[Fishinginthelongdrops]

 Always wondered if there is a possibility of being refused entry if they find ‘refreshments’ for personal use? And if found on re-entry is there a chance you don’t get back on site to collect your tent and other belongings?

[Thunderstruck]

17 hours ago, thekiwi said:

Did anyone else think  bag searches were more Xtreme this year? I've never really seen anyone get searched but i was camping outside gate C and had my body bag searched every single day. They looked in every single pocket and were sniffing my baccy & food wrappers like they were tryna get high off the smell of it lol.

On entry we got searched for the first time ever!

 

The guy infront of us had a load of massive laughing gas cannisters. We all had a good laugh when he claimed to security they were to blow his airbed up with 😅

[Walter Sobchak]

I saw some poor dude getting his mobile phone case searched.

 

I had my wallet and bags half arsed searched once on a beer run on re-entry to Sticklinch

[BagpussSeesAllThings]

At PGD I had a mix of nothing to getting the full works with every part of my bags, phone and pockets checked.

 

Really don't see the point in the checking of tiny pockets etc, surely the main thing they'd want to find is drug dealers and glass and it slows the queue down and pees people off.

 

Having done years of festival security I'm surprised they were briefed to be so thorough in their searches. 

[dirtysteve]

9 hours ago, Derby_Dave said:

15 Glastonbury festivals and yet to be searched.

 

I got searched loads of times when I was younger, I did look like a caner and was usually very obviously high as a kite so no surprise, including as soon as we arrived in the car park in 2004 for my first festival (the car we were in was covered nose to tail in graffiti so we stood out like a sore thumb... instant tug off the security to pull the car to pieces...). I had a big bag of pills in my pocket then so lost those, but was never caught with contraband since, I learned my lesson (which was; stash your gear in your pants!).

 

Started taking the kids from 2013 and have never been given so much as a second glance since, so maybe that's the cover that drug dealers need, borrow a kid and a buggy to wheel in their supply?

[Superscally]

16 hours ago, Johnnyseven said:

 

46 year old fella, white with a beard, also wearing khaki shorts and t shirt, plus a cap but didn't get searched once at PGC - not sure what that says.

Wanna hang out?

[broken monkey]

Got searched a few times at PGD, the most extreme of which was having to unroll the bottom of my denim shorts to prove I hadn't stashed something inside them.

[Alison C]

This was posted a couple of years ago.Festival Security Search Powers

Festival security search powers. With the festival season about to start this a probably a timely reminder of the search powers that festival security staff have at music festivals. Festival security are not police officers. Festival security do not have the power to search you or your property. Festival security have no power to search your car or your tent. Festival security do not have the power to use force to search you. You are not required to give your name and address to festival security. The only power that festival security have over and above any citizen powers is that of refusing you entry to the festival, or asking you to leave. Festival security will argue that it is a condition of entry that you consent to be searched. What that means is that if you do not consent to be searched then the consequence is that you may be refused entry to the festival by festival security. You can withdraw your consent to be searched at any time before or during the search. This is your legal right. Some festival security staff now use passive drugs dogs to sniff you. If a festivalsecurity dog indicates that you may have drugs you can still refuse to be searched by festival security. If a member of festival security uses force in order to search you without your consent , then this unlawful and is an assault. If this happens then you should report the matter to the police. This can be done at any time. The festival security powers to use force to search are the same whether inside or outside the festival – none. If you are arrested by police following an unlawful search by festival security then you should make your solicitor aware, as this is potentially a defence if the evidence was obtained unlawfully. Festival security have also been known to cut off wristbands that have been lawfully purchased by the customer. If festival security use force to do this, say for instance your hands are in your pockets or in the air, then this is also an assault. If you are assaulted this year at a festival by festival security be sure to ask the person who assaults you for his name. Report the matter as soon as possible to the police. It would help the police to identify him if his photograph was taken also. Festival security do have the same powers as every other citizen. These are, where an indictable (can be heard at crown court) offence has been committed; they can arrest someone if… • The person is causing physical injury to himself or others • The person issuffering physical injury • The person is causing loss of or damage to property • The person is absconding before a constable can assume responsibility for him These powers only exist where an indictable offence HAS been committed. There is no mention of searching.

The police do have powers to use force when searching, and can require the removal of clothing.

The police to not have a power to cut off wristbands on behalf of the festival organiser. This has been successfully challenged in the past. Unless the police want to seize the wristband as evidence of an offence then they have no power to use force to take it. Police officers work for the Crown not festival organisers.

[mr flow]

I was in and out of PGD 4 times over the festival for various car runs and helping my other half when she arrived, and i wasn't searched once. We came back in after Sunday's car run to PGA and again wasn't searched. Think it's luck of the draw and also who is working on the gate at the time. I always make a point of approaching them to be searched though so perhaps they just wave me through.

[Boomtowner]

20 hours ago, thekiwi said:

Did anyone else think  bag searches were more Xtreme this year? I've never really seen anyone get searched but i was camping outside gate C and had my body bag searched every single day. They looked in every single pocket and were sniffing my baccy & food wrappers like they were tryna get high off the smell of it lol.

Can't attest to this year, but definitely noticed it last year at Gate C.

[Parched]

Gate C this year... thoroughly searched every single morning. One time they made me open a box of small raisins I had for my four year old. Another slightly embarrassing time was telling them they didn't want to open up my wife's she pee and because of the language barrier having to act out what it was used for - suffice to say they didn't do any more investigating!

[clarkete]

10 hours ago, Yoghurt on a Stick said:

 

Am I missing something? I've just looked up 'Doc Emmet Brown', and would have thought that anyone looking like that would be ripe for a good checking over - possibly including a 'bend over' job. Is it sarcasm?

 

Must be.  I met @Pinhead for first time and they look proper dodgy 😉

[UEF]

This is the first year in all my years of going I was asked to do a search.

 

The person asking for the search and the person you go to aren't the same person and aren't in communication... I just kept walking and nothing happened.

 

Had nothing on me, but still. 

[Pinhead]

3 hours ago, clarkete said:

 

Must be.  I met @Pinhead for first time and they look proper dodgy 😉

S'true. I wouldn't trust me. Perhaps they just take one look and say internally to themselves, 'nah don't want the hassle'.

[Jay Pee]

10 hours ago, Alison C said:

What that means is that if you do not consent to be searched then the consequence is that you may be refused entry to the festival by festival security

Key information 

[kerplunk]

I saw one person refuse and oviously they didn't let him in which he accepted without much fuss. I thought to myself - wish I'd thought of that at Boomtown years ago

Edited Friday at 08:31 PM by kerplunk

[kalifire]

Came early (4:30am) to PGA, and was directed to a queue leading to a tent where everyone was searched. We were all trying to assess how thorough it was by looking at the people coming out the other side. Some said it was super strict; others said it wasn't bad.

 

When I was searched, the guy just looked through my day-bag and ignored everything else. He said they were looking for small bags or containers. He went through it pretty thoroughly, opening my sunglasses case to make sure it only contained sunglasses, for example. But it wasn't that thorough, because when he came across my mobile sharps container, he clearly had no idea what it was and just put it back in the bag.

 

A bit later, there were more people arriving than they could practically search, so some people were directed straight to the queue for the gate and avoided the search tent altogether.

[Kashkin]

There were definitely more searches going on at the Sticklinch entrance than last year. We entered twice on Wednesday and everyone was getting searched, sometimes cursory and sometimes a bit more thorough.

[Skip997]

So what were they looking for and why?

[tarw]

On 7/4/2024 at 4:34 PM, Paul ™ said:

More searches due to more contraband being found across all the ped gates, along with vehicle gates.

 

And yes they are clamping down on the gates, hence why they all have a gate manager now going forward.

 

5 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

So what were they looking for and why?

In the past security were never bothered with anything for personal consumption, just looking for people bringing in stuff to sell. Has this changed?

[Paul ™]

11 minutes ago, tarw said:

 

In the past security were never bothered with anything for personal consumption, just looking for people bringing in stuff to sell. Has this changed?

There is guidance on quantities depending on the drug, if it's just a confiscation or more serious.