BeachFest Shutdown: “Abundance Of Caution”
The Bermuda Police Service confirmed that on the first day of Cup Match [July 28] they shutdown BeachFest at 8:30pm in “the abundance of caution.”
As Bernews reported on Thursday, the BeachFest celebrations were marred by fighting and the event - which had been scheduled to go on until 2am – shut down hours early.
Last night a police spokesperson said, “Police were called to Horseshoe Bay Beach yesterday after receiving a report of a disturbance. Upon police arrival two males were taken into police custody, processed and detained at Hamilton Police Station. Police in the abundance of caution shutdown BeachFest at 8:30pm without further incident.”
The Chewstick-hosted Annual BeachFest Emancipation Celebration is held each year at Horseshoe Bay, and the popular event sees thousands of locals flock to the beach to enjoy games, live entertainment and much more.
This year, the event was rebranded “PeaceFest” – with Chewstick saying the concept was to “call attention to the growing ultra-violence in Bermuda.” Many patrons expressed disappointment that the bad behaviour of a few individuals negatively impacted the event for everyone.
Police also confirm that a fight was reported at Southampton Rangers Sports Club on Thursday evening, however the perpetrators escaped. In addition, a 40-year old man was arrested at the Gate of St. George Cricket Club with drug paraphernalia over the weekend, and was subsequently transported to the Southside police station.
The police spokesperson concluded by saying, “The Bermuda Police Service is cautiously optimistic about the rest of the weekend [Friday night to Sunday night] and we are advising the public that police will have a very highly visible presence for the rest of the Cup Match weekend.”
“If you drink please do not drive and if you see something suspicious say something to the authorities. If you are attending any major events during the evening hours please be patient as there are sure to be searches taking place in and round those venues. All of this activity only serves to make Bermuda Safer.”
Emancipated from what? Sad that this has spilled over into what is a great annual event and it had to be shut down. I don’t want to hear that there is nothing to do in Bermuda. Every time something is put on, something has to happen. BLAME YOURSELVES!!!!! Believe me, order will come, whether you like it or not.
What is it with Bermudians these days? Can they not simply behave at events that are supposed to be an enjoyment for all?
The pic shows 5 LEOs. How many others were on the scene?
Last month I attended the midnight sun festival in downtown Fairbanks, Alaska. It celebrates the longest day of the year when the sun never really sets. It does, sort of, but sunset is about 12:45AM & rises again about 2:00AM.
The festival was much larger than the Bermuda Harbour Nights covering all of downtown Fairbanks, about 5 blocks long & extending a block either side of the main street. There were 6 stages & there had to be at least 5000 people in attendance. Alcohol, beer & wine, was available.
What really impressed me was the complete lack of trash on the street & the biggie, only FOUR police officers patroling the entire area.
What is wrong Bermuda? You behave like a bunch of primary one children.
Having been ‘enlightened’ by many previous threads on herb , maybe all those people were just stoned out of their minds and in a natuarely ‘peaceful state’ and that’s why they were so well bahaved ?
No , I doubt that was it . Bet you know why you can go to large , very large gatherings anywhere else and there’s no problems !
And we complain that there’s nothing to do at night around here . Who on earth is willing to risk going to anything when nearly everytime it turns out like this ?
3-2-1- before someone says it’s because of recent busts and there’s not enough veed available….
Triangle – couldn’t agree more, have been to numerous festivals all over the place without a hint of trouble. A**holes.
The reason Bermudians behave like children is because they believe their own press, Bermuda is the greatest place on earth inhabited by the coolest, friendliest people on earth.
You left out ‘civilized’ and ‘polite’ LOL
Here we go the Police flexing their muscle again is it justified or over kill. I’m sure Micheal Dunkley would be happy. If we are not careful we could end up with a Police State: A nation in which the police, esp. a secret police, summarily suppresses any social, economic, or political act that conflicts with governmental policy.
Seriously… the cops shut it down after ONE little fight??! Paranoid or what!
Are YOU serious? Desensitization to the gravity of the plight we are in will only lead us further down the road to destruction.
We can’t be shutting down events because of a few idiots. If we continue to do this then the few hoodlums would have spoiled it for the many law abiding citizens. Now if they(the hoodlums) want to spoil an event they just have to do something stupid and watch the knee jerk reaction from the authority’s. I don’t understand it you go out to party and have a good time,these idiots go out to have a fight. SMH!!
I was there – it is a little scary when there is more than just a fight that causes an arrest! I think after the second incident and that it was getting dark the police made the right decision. Does it really piss me off that Chewstick put so much work into the event that is amazing and that a few punks ruined it for everyone – YES! But i would rather be safe in light of the tensions that had started – especially since apparently more violence was reported at the rangers field shortly after.
I say well done to Chewstick for a great event – Well done to the police for protecting the masses – and well done to the organizers for complying.
Hopefully next year the event can be violent free and as good as it has always been!
Yeah – don’t blame the Police for doing the safe thing. Blame the a**holes who ruined the event. Blame the c*nts who just had to prove how big they are by fighting. Big PUSSIES is all they are.
The police did the safe thing…and the THUGS that had nothing better to do were black thugs !!!!!!!!! that caused this wonderful event to be closed down early,…. SHAME ON YOU NO GOOD LOOSERS….and guess what these black no gooders will disrupt everthing they can !!!!!! shame on you !!!!!! I am so fed up with these wannabee gangsters……the guests from abroad were shocked by what happened at Horse shoe beach ..you had to be there to see what happened….these thugs ruin everthing that the hard working people that put on these events… so few ruin so much ……….
original. you are so right the a$#holes ruined the night…the families with kids were so scared they made an early exit…you had to be there to see it unfold . LAVERN WERE YOU THERE ?
thank god they shut it dawn round 8:30…i was JUICED!
A Police official asked that if anyoneone witnessed this/those incidents to please contact them.
All those thousands there and not a soul took control. People should have seperated and detained until the police could deal with the matter.
Only balls on that beach were beach balls. Enough said…..
@ Terry…the police WATCHED the fight like everybody else….so they should be able to given an account as to what happened….as for everyone else I guess they will all come down with a serious case of CRS and won’t be able to give any information..(CRS..Can’t Remember S%it!!!!)
Tell me Terry, if you saw a bunch of idiots fighting and throwing bottles and all sorts of other blunt objects, would you intervene? I doubt it, so stop your damn noise. I was there, and it was not just one fight, it was two. Both within an hour of each other. Yes the police were there, but they couldn’t get through the crowd that was backing away from the fight and by the time they did, most of the culprits were already gone.
If you really want to keep the peace at events like this that take place on a beach? Have the police or security at all the entrances and tell them to not let in the wrong people. There’s no reason that these guys should have been let on the beach wearing long jeans, tshirts, fitted hats and sneakers. Does that sound like Beachfest attire to you?
Glass bottles on the beach, is that against the law?
Guess not many posters were there the last fight that broke off was some 13-15 year old girls that might have gotten some alcohol and one of the mothers was disappointed her girl didn’t kick a$#.
LOL
what’s Bermy coming to.