It was a scary weekend for rave-goers, at least those seeking chemical enhancement to round out the experience.
After a spate of overdose deaths, authorities dropped the hammer at a pair of electronic dance events in Southern California.
At the Halloween-themed HARD Day of the Dead Festival at the Pomona Fairplex, nearly 500 people were arrested over two days. Most of the busts were for drug possession and public intoxication, but police say dozens of people were also held on suspicion of having fake IDs. About 40,000 people attended the two day event.
The Escape: Psycho Circus rave at the Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino drew upwards of 80,000 people over two days. Police say about 180 people were arrested there.
The crackdowns follow the overdose deaths of two young women at a rave at the Fairplex this summer, and the death of a 15-year-old girl at a rave in Fresno.
canceled one event at the Fairplex iand scaled back the Halloween concert.
L.A. County Supervisors have jumped into the debate over raves. In September, the Supes created a task force to develop what they call “enforceable health and safety measures that would be required for all electronic music festivals on county-owned property.”
Meanwhile, the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department says just three people were arrested during the 27th annual Halloween Carnaval in West Hollywood, which also drew tens of thousands of partiers.