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MP seeks to get gig flare ban into Policing And Crime Act

By | Published on Tuesday 26 April 2016

Nigel Adams MP

Well, this has all happened rather quickly for the political community. Following his speech in Parliament earlier this month proposing a ban on flares and fireworks at music events, Nigel Adams MP is now having a go at making that law by sneaking it in as an amendment to the Policing And Crime Bill that is currently working its way through Westminster.

This has nothing to do with on-stage pyro shows, but is all about gig-goers setting off flares, fireworks and/or smoke bombs at concerts and festivals. Amazingly this is [a] an increasingly common occurrence and [b] not currently against the law, unless you can prove the flare-setter-offer actively intended to injure.

Such activities are already illegal at football matches, and as such, in 2014 there were 255 incidents of flares and such like being set off at music events, but only three at football grounds. Under the MP’s proposals, people setting off flares and fireworks at a gig or festival could be prosecuted and face fines or a prison sentence of up to three months.

Adams will formally propose an amendment to the Policing And Crime Bill to include the gig flare ban in the House Of Commons this afternoon. His proposal seemingly has cross-party support, so the amendment should make it into the new legislation.

Says Adams: “I am very pleased the amendment has been accepted and that we are able to make tangible progress towards providing a safer environment for music fans so quickly. Music audiences deserve the same protection under the law as sports fans”.

He goes on: “This measure has support across the board: from fans wanting to focus on the music, performers wanting to put on a good uninterrupted show, and organisers wanting to provide a safe event – as well as from MPs right across the House. It’s time we make the law on these dangerous articles consistent at both music and sporting events”.



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