Pop-up rave at Coventry park broken up by police

Eye witness said revellers at War Memorial Park were drinking, smoking, listening to music and enjoying a barbecue



A 'pop up rave' involving an estimated 100 people took place at War Memorial Park in Coventry.

West Midlands Police officers were called to the Kenilworth Road venue at around 10pm on Bank Holiday Monday with reports of more than 30 vehicles in attendance.

Attendees told officers they were attending a 'pop up rave' with an eye witness saying more than 30 vehicles were involved with people drinking, smoking, playing music and even enjoying a barbecue.

Police say they received several reports of breaches of Covid-19 lockdown regulations.

Coventry resident Dylan Parrin was at the scene and captured the video footage in this story.

He said: "It was around 10pm on Monday as I was taking my daily exercise walk around Memorial Park. I could hear loud music coming from the middle of the park.

"I ignored it until I got around to the park and ride car park, at which point I could see there were well over 30 cars and crowds of people all drinking, smoking and playing music. There was even a barbecue.

"Shortly afterwards, one police van with four officers arrived and dispersed the crowds who quickly got in their cars and fled War Memorial Park at around 10.30pm."

Coventry War Memorial Park has been the focus of a number of Covid-19 lockdown breaches with one walker telling CoventryLive in early April that youngsters were using the closed skatepark.

Other reports included groups of up to six people sitting around a bench and people using the basketball court.

However, fears of a 'free movement' event at the venue in protest of the coronavirus measures failed to materialise earlier this month.

One law for the rich eh?