Police praise Sleaze Ball behaviour

Police praise Sleaze Ball behaviour

Sleaze Ball has been labelled one of the more successful events over a trying long weekend for Surry Hills Police.
“Sleaze Ball was probably the highlight of the night, where behaviour was concerned,” a spokesman for Surry Hills Police told Sydney Star Observer on Monday.
The weekend left a police officer in an induced coma after she was struck by a car while crossing Oxford St to offer assistance.
Another incident at the Colombian Hotel left a bar manager in a critical condition after he was attacked by a bottle-wielding patron.
The hotel’s general manager, Robert Doran, said the manager involved was “progressing reasonably well and we’ll know more by the end of the week,” and confirmed that police had begun investigations.
Forty people were arrested at Sunday’s Parklife event in Moore Park.
By comparison, Sleaze Ball was quiet with only 18 arrests made, in spite of a massive police presence, which for the first time saw sniffer dogs enter the party. Of those detained, 14 were issued with court notices over drug possession, while the other four were cautioned over cannabis posession.
“Our community is getting wise to the fact that our events are going to be viewed by the police, like all the other major events,” New Mardi Gras CEO Anna McInerney said.
“We work carefully with ACON, Positive Life and the Lobby to educate our patrons about what they can expect when they come to our events, and I think most people are now getting it. We also work hard with police to ensure the safety of our patrons.
“The feedback has been really good and I was really happy with it. Everything worked on the night, in spite of the rain. It was a great party, there was a fantastic buzz on the night and the DJs really delivered.”

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29 responses to “Police praise Sleaze Ball behaviour”

  1. Dave:-

    In this debate – and related ones – I have blogged my concern about police behaviour on the night (dogs in medical tents!! public strip searches!!) and my opinion, based on police stats, of sniffer dogs (lazy policing that catches personal users).

    Had the police scaled back their presence…acted more civilly…people, like yourself, would still have been caught with drugs. And none the happier for it.

    Regarding G+L rights….

    We can be fired from religious schools for our sexuality.

    Our children face uncertainty because adoption laws prevent non birth mothers being recognised.

    And our relationships still have no formal recognition.

    These discriminate against us…as the Anti discrimination tribunal points out, discrimination occurs when someone is treated unfairly because they happen to belong to a particular group of people.

    Drugs laws don’t do that. Their presence at HomeBake, Splendour, Big Day Out, and Parklife are proof they hassle straights as well.

    Now, you don’t like that. You state drug use is a part of self determination and feel that is worth protesting about. And people do protest at MG about a range of issues. Climate change. Refugees. (over-crowding on inner city bus services is aurely worth a placard)

    As was said, you can hold the banner for legalising drugs.
    I want our organisations to fight for when G+L are discriminated against.

    Lastly consider this.

    These blogs reflect a surprising diversity. More than a quarter disapprove of drugs and don’t appear concerned about the police actions. The majority are concerned about the police behaviour.

    Fewest blogs make a statement in support of legalising drugs or claiming it as our right.

    There does not appear to be a broad consensus on drug use in the G+L community. Unlike climate change. Or Route 303 in peak hour.

  2. thanks merlot

    as in a previous post, please explain in detail why personal use drugs cannot part of a gay and lesbian agenda, an agenda of self determination, and advise when you became the one to define the gay and lesbian communities agenda
    and
    perhaps, not speaking of drugs, but police behaviour, you would like to comment on the strip searching (in a locked toilet for my friend), the secret hidden police van out of site of any observation, the police with all ID covered, the downright cruelty in not letting anyone be with the distressed young patrons being charged, the theft of our sleze tickets by police, or the 75 % inaccurate postive IDs by sniffers according to the ombudsmans report, police resourcing for such a small ‘success’ rate, the fact my friend does not have his arrest report for todays court appearance despite his legal people reqeusting repeatedly, all the above not related to drugs, and that when complaints are made to ombudsman or nsw police about police behaviour it is redirected to the particular police station to investigate, that is they investigate their own, so comments please about police behaviour. i look forward to your comments about this side of the sleaze affair.

    to be clear, this request asks that you comment not on your opinions about drug taking, but particularly on police behaviour at sleaze this year. i look forward to a thorough, detailed, well read response

  3. Whatever Merlot.If all you can do is add stupid comments comparing breeds of dog just shows you how much value you add to the debate.I think that says it all,don’t you?But then thats the mentality we are dealing with aren’t we.What a problem.

  4. Yes Peter, go to straight gatherings – Big Day Out and Splendour in the Grass – and there will be dogs.

    That’s clear from the arrests made at the straight music festival the day after Sleaze. It’s not a special ambush on gays and lesbians…but drug use can make you paranoid.

    And you can see from the pics sniffer dogs are beagles and that loveable Aussie standard, the labrador. The german shepherds on Oxford are used for aggressive people/crowd control. But I wouldn’t pat any of them…even if the E has kicked in and you want to share the love.

  5. Asquith you need to get out more as well.Have you actually talked to any ‘straight’people recently…um like in the last 10 years.Perhaps thats why police are carrying on the way they are at G+L events under the rationale or more appropriately unrationale information that the G+L community use more drugs.Just go out to Western Sydney for a night out and see what you think.PLEASE.The straight community like to use drugs just as much if not even more than the G+L community.Its just an easy target.Great fun.Easy people.Nice music…lets go to Sleaze ball.Arrest a few queens.Go do your jobs properly NSW police.

  6. Ron

    I believe the police are doing there jobs on the rationale where the majority of drug usage occurs in gay and lesbian venues – its always been that way as harsh as this sounds its a reality, drugs just simply make up a huge chunk of our community and lifestyle.

    Also, our events are targeted by drug dealers around the nation because they know that we “like to party” which brings on more police suspicions.

    I’m part of the minority that loves being part of gay Sydney scene (we are not dead) but the above is just a reality.

  7. Merlot-Have you been out lately?
    I think i know the difference between a beagle and other breeds of dog.I don;t see beagles oin the end of the leash…wow…

  8. Just on a point of fact…

    Diana – Drug sniffers have been used at Hugo’s and Kinselas. Patrons there weren’t too keen on them either.

    Peter – drug sniffer dogs aren’t police dogs like you see used to attack – they are most often beagles…like Snoopy.

  9. Dave, Diana and Ron et al.

    Your campaign to legalise drugs is best met through the Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users League (AIVL).

    Let the gay and lesbian organisations get on with winning same-sex marriage, adoption rights and universal anti discrimination legislation etc.

  10. Indeed what a joke NMG have become.The point is police are not in the place that they should be.Give them a burglary or dare we say it a gay assault on Oxford street and where are they…holding the leashes of a vicious dog around happy party goers.UMMMM you do the math.SHAME on you NMG and shame on SHAME on you NSW police.Both of you organisations do something that is actually in your job description.SLEAZE ball what a joke.

  11. hi diana
    i am up for a debreif with NMG, let me know when and where

    did anyone see the email from NMG today saying they had a zero tolerance policy but were meeting with community health types this week? i laughed and emailed back saying Have You Ever Been to one of the NMG parties? what of harm minimisation?

    should i contact the council for civil liberties for support Diana?

    david

  12. Dear Dave, Thank you for you kind words brother. Yes Im ok, Trying to organise some sort of de brief for all arrestees and mardi gras.
    To all those that said i broke the law so what. That actually has not been proven yet. That is what the courts do. In terms or breaking the laws, I remember a time not that long ago when it was illegal to sodomize, it still is in certain countries. Death penalty exits too . I cant believe people as so caught up in their own rightousness they would say you break the law bad luck. I was unnecessarily violated that is the issue . Police are targeting a peacefull party to bump up statistics and we are paralysed to act as a group. I suggest Maybe no police participate in the parade until they stop hassling or targeting our venues. I look forward to seeing sniffer dogs at the Mayors new years eve party, Its about consistantcy in the law and its applications. They use sniffer dogs up the cross but they dont go into Hugos. They dont go into SLIPIN . Are they used on the docks. How many dealers did they get at Mardi gras. Does this stop drug use, or push it further underground. Was i offered anywhere to go for drug assistance. No . What is the cost of that operation and what did they actually achieve????? Just for the record I worked for years for ACON and various drug agencies. This situation is getting worse. This does not fit in with Harm reduction. I agree with Dave and interestingly enough the Council for Civil liberties has been far more pro active than any Gay and Lesbian organisation. Seems the NSW Police have got everyone scared. Im right with you Dave.

  13. Yes Merlot of course you are right. And let me guess, Stonewall was really all about bar licensing and those silly drag queens should have taken it up in the Bar Licensing Tribunal.

  14. why isnt it a gay and lesbian issue? why cant gays and lesbians be at the vanguard of this issue? why cant we challenge these laws? i would have thought police bullying of gays and lesbians, over stupid laws, was a gay and lesbian issue, a civil rights issue? and we know enough about those….there is no way i am acepting some crap equality that means i can be equal with the rest of those waiting for the mainstream to sanction what i can and cant do. i spose merlot, some explanation of why it is NOT a gay and lesbian rights issue is in order, as i dont understand why it is not

  15. Ron, the point is that a demand to use whatever drugs you like, whenever you want, is not a gay and lesbian rights issue.

  16. I have better things to do with my time then attend Sleazy parties. I would never pay $130 of my hard earnt cash for a night of sniffer dogs, rude security and binge drinking.

  17. That was my last Sleaze party….$130…biggest rippoff!! it wasnt the police though, I do think the police presence is a bit overkill, especially when i get back home in surry hills and see people brawling on the street, spraypainting the building and breaking into cars, very regular occurence one block from surry hills police station…

  18. hi diana, my friend and i were also arrested by police, have a court date, our sleaze tickets confiscated.

    i suggest you contact mardi gras and ask for tix refund as tix confiscation is not their policy (i emailed and asked) but resulted out of ‘confusion’ between police and staff.

    ‘if you dont break the law you have nothing to worry about” – sounds like the same argument that runs regarding the full on terrorism legislation. it simply is not the truth.

    in terms of what is illegal and illegal as a definer of what my behaviour should be by some posters, maybe we should remember that all us poofs and dykes were illegal once. and it didnt stop us from continuing our ‘illegal’ behaviour of being gays and lesbians. carrying a pill is illegal, but that doesnt necessarily make it wrong.

    if legality is the definer of what people can and cant do, in countries where being gay is illegal, should the gays in these countries wait till they are legal before acting on their feelings? (‘gay is illegal, mmmmmmmmmmm k”). in the same way i am not waiting for drug law changes before i take drugs. lets call it non violent civil disobedience.

    what is being asked is that i am allowed to make my own adult decisions regarding my own body and what i put into it. rather than waiting for some one else to sanction what i can and cant do. sounds pretty reasonable to me.

    and given what NMG is, i expect it to actualy have a stated policy on drug use and harm minimisation that reflects all its members, for both alcohol and tobacco and other drugs.

    diana, chin up, us other 20 are out there. do you have a court date? are you ok?

    david

  19. Jason, Asquith, Merlot, you are missing the point. How can police work with communities when the government constitutes those communities as criminals and suspects?

    No rational informed person who has looked at the evidence can support the use of this sort of law enforcement strategy as an appropriate response to the health risks associated with drug use. It is irrational on health grounds. It is irrational in terms of the use of public resources. It is irrational on social justice grounds (because it is generally marginalized groups that end up being subject to surveillance and criminalization). There is no evidence whatsoever that it serves to deter drug use.

    The only rationality it has is political: the state posturing that it is tough on law and order in order to win votes – no matter what the consequences. It makes me sick.

  20. Diana, you don’t state it, but if you were caught with pills you could have been arrested and charged. Count yourself fortunate that didn’t occue.

    If you want changes to drug laws, join organisations set up to do that.

    I want our community organisations to focus on our issues, like relationship equality or HIV.

  21. It sounds to me the people who complain are the ones that are upset becuase they can no longer take their drugs without getting cuaght(the majority of people who I always come across who rant and rave about the law’s sourounding dance clubs etc ALWAYS fit into this description)

    Drugs are illegal mmmmm k??…

  22. Sounds like Diana has the shits ‘cos she got caught breaking the law.

    No matter which way you look at it, drugs are illegal and the police are just doing their job.

    Sure, that may be unpopular among many of us, but there is no way the police would have stripped search someone without cause …..

    And to then search for a scapegoat is, I think, childish and ridiculous.

    Grow up people – the police are not our enemy. The longer we continue to treat them like they are the more difficult the relationship between us will be.

    The facts are simple and apply to all – straight or gay – if you don’t break the law you have nothing to worry about.

    If you don’t like the law, lobby for it to be changed – but don’t bitch and whinge and moan about it when you are too lazy to do something about it yourself.

  23. Diana Carr: Your letter above prompted me to contact the Mardi Gras office and enquire as to what their actual ‘policy’ is. A rather abrasive woman said: “We don’t want drugs at out parties and if you bring them you’ll risk being arrested”. When I asked her name she hung up on me.

  24. Wow. What a crappy SLEAZE it was for me and Im sure about 20 others. I was one of the unlucky ones that the police use to bolster their statistics and make politicians feel like they are tackling crime. I was strip searched, humiliated, denied any access to legal help or a mardi gras official, had my ticket removed from my wallet by police, and told by the Police that Mardi gras did not want me at their event. Police told me That it was Mardi Gras policy to eject me not there’s. I spent from 11.45 till 1. 15 am with the police. I was ejected from the party with no ticket, money missing from my wallet and no way to get home. It was one of the saddest and lonliest moments of my Queer life.

    Then this week I sort of hoped that there would be a united community response, or at least some, Im still working on that. It appears the Rights lobby are too poor and focused on gay marriage to be able to take it on, ACON cant really help me unless Im HIV positive. Both these organisations were very sweet but not a lot of actions have resulted in my contacts. It appears all our community organisations point to the others. So when I opened the SSO this week and on page two I see the Headline relating to how happy the police were with us I felt like another kick in the gut. I then looked at the photos to see a shot of two cunstables having a wonderful time at our party. Im sorry but I was really offended by this. What worries me is that the SSO seems to have gone to great lengths (page 3) to represent the Police re post SLEAZE but not even think to look into the effect this has on us.

  25. the police and sniffer dogs presence at sleaze was complete overkill.

    The sydney scene is dying because of crap like this, you can’t go out for a night out without having to be concerned about lockouts, being able to get home (and if the taxi will pick you up), where to smoke, and what drinks you are allowed to drink after a certain time.

    going by the events over the past few years, be prepared for a cavity search on entry guys (and not in a good way).

    Maybe we wouldn’t have so much crap happen on oxford st if the police put the kind of effort they put into getting 18 arrests out of 5000 partygoers at a dance party.

  26. What a fantastic Sleaze ball..thanks to everyone involved.
    It’s a pity the police had to ruin the beginning of the night by bringing the dogs into the actual Horden and even into the toilets.

    Even the security guards at the ticketing gates were rude and abrupt, forcing us to walk in between the dogs and police once we had entered the venue. It was a total invasion of privacy which made me and my friends feel very uncomfortable.

    I can understand having the dogs outside but how far will they go next time…dogs on the dance floor!

  27. If there were 40 arrests at Parklife out of 25,000 people and 18 at Sleaazeball out of 5,000 people, the ratio equals 40 Parklife and 90 Sleazeball.

    Does that mean we can expect 270 arrests out of 15,000 at next year’s Mardi Gras?

    I attend a lot of parties, gay and straight, and it seems that the police presence at gay parties is getting worse and worse. I was one of the innocent ones at Harbour Party this year who went through the humiliation of being dragged aside from my friends and frisked at the entrance in front of all to see. On Saturday night at Sleazeball I was alarmed to see a police dog actually inside the Horden.

    The police are obviously targeting our parties more and more now. Obviously they believe there is a serious drug problem in our community. It’s insulting that the police then patronise us with flattering terms such as ‘successful’ and ‘highlight’.

    Some of my friends didn’t go to Sleazeball because of the way the police behaved at Mardi Gras. I certainly won’t be going to Harbour Party again, and after what I saw on the weekend, I might give Mardi Gras a miss too.

    Thankyou NSW Police for doing your best to ruin our parties rather than going out and doing something positive like ending the violence around Oxford Street.