Glasto: Michael Eavis to be prosecuted?

Following this years Glastonbury Festival, which councillors and police believe had twice the permitted 100,000 entrants, Mendip District Council's Regulatory Board have voted to prosecute Michael Eavis for breaching the license.

The final decision on prosecution will be taken by the council's chief executive.

Despite the Festival unveiling of a "super fence" two weeks ago that would keep all but the most determined (and stupid) potential jumpers outside, Superintendent John Buckley - the commander of this years police operation - said he didn't believe that it would be a strong enough deterrent. He said that the police did not intend to stop future festivals, but only to support a safe event. "Other large public events have suffered tragedies and the priority for all of us must be public safety" he said.

Mr Eavis said he was being victimised for tragedies elsewhere, as there had been no injuries this year as a result of crushing or overcrowding, and that he ran a safe, well organised event.

With the police and council seeming to take the view that any new security arrangements will not cure the problems, the chance of a festival taking place next year is drastically reduced. This will result in the good causes that benefit from the profits - Greenpeace, Oxfam, WaterAid as well as many local beneficiaries - losing out on a major regular contribution to their works. Ironically, the local area would also lose out on the economic benefits of holding the UK's largest ticketed event, directly effecting the wealth of the people who vote for those councillors who have taken this view.

At the unveiling of the new fence, several local (and rather aged) councillors were heard expressing their views that this massive structure "wouldn't stop anyone" - certainly not the view of the fit and able younger people present - and it's wondered whether those people are taking a realistic view, or just using the chance given by the tragedy at Roskilde to end an event which they intensely dislike happening in their locality.

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