Subsonic Chronic

Fantino: It's not raves, it's the drugs

By PHILIP LEE-SHANOK, TORONTO SUN
It's not the raves he has a problem with, it's the drugs, Police Chief Julian Fantino repeatedly insisted at a York community meeting last night.

During a Q&A session at Vaughan Rd. Academy, Fantino was confronted by a group of ravers upset with the city's temporary ban on holding the all-night parties on municipally owned property.

"The feeling in the rave community is that we have been excluded from this decision to ban raves," said Rocco Liegghio. "The whole community and culture have been painted with the same broad brush as drug dealers and drug addicts."

But Fantino denied that he sees raves as the problem.

"We're not anti-rave, we're not anti-anything. It's not about raves, but the drug scene. My whole concern is pervasive drug use and the drug dealers that converge on these venues."

Liegghio said he and about two dozen others were concerned enough to effectively hijack a meeting called to air the concerns of citizens in 13 Division.

"Making raves safe may be the trick, but it can't be done by police," said Fantino.

Erin Lewis, 19, was angry that her microphone was cut off before she could tell Fantino the rave community is working to make the events safer.

"I'm very displeased by what I'm seeing. This is not what I call respect," she said.

Fantino stayed after the meeting ended to speak with the group and said the rave ban will be revisited in the fall after a coroner's inquest on the subject makes its recommendations.

The unrestrained retard

Anyone involved in the incident described in the article on this board? Care to give us more information?

Bean

i was at that meeting. the article is fairly accurate.

after some speeches by fantino and division officers, it was question time.

the issues that were brought up, in order of greatest number of speakers:

- raves
- rascism
- local traffic issues
- other issues
- "the cops are doing a great job"

about 6 or so ravers were lined up to question fantino. after the 3rd or 4th raver, it was announced that no more community meeting time would be used to discuss raves. fantino would be available to discuss this after the meeting had ended.

he was available. he did answer questions... but only about banning parties at cne property. he did not want to discuss the coroner's inquest.

this community meeting seemed more about politics than concern for the community, more about saying "look what a good police chief i am, meeting with the community and listening to their issues"... but not really paying attention to them, imho.

that's my recollection/assessment of the meeting.

peace,

sabina

"share what you know, learn what you don't."