South Australia Police have told Laneway Festival punters that consuming too much alcohol can lead someone to becoming a victim of sexual assault, in a statement which has angered a number of people on social media.
Posting to Facebook yesterday, SA Police News said it wished to “remind the public excessive drinking can lead to someone becoming a victim of serious assault, including sex offences”. In the comments shortly after, Facebook users have accused police of victim-shaming.
Here are just some examples of the negative responses to the post:
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A number of other comments on the post took a different point of view:
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Aside from its “excessive drinking” warning, SA Police also told punters that “taking illicit drugs can result in dangerous, potentially life-threatening reactions”, and reminded ticket-holders that a drug detection dog would be on-site at the festival.
In their Facebook post, SA Police say they seized over 800 ecstasy tablets which they believe were destined for Laneway, and have arrested two men aged 18 and 19 from Flinders Park in connection to the drugs. The pair have been charged with trafficking a controlled drug but have been bailed and are set to appear in Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on 23rd February.
The Adelaide leg of Laneway Festival took place yesterday, and also involved an incident which has seen an international act kicked from the Laneway tour after reportedly “kissing a cop’s gun”.
Catch SA Police’s full statement, below.
More than 800 ecstacy tablets which police believe were destined for a music festival in Adelaide today have been seized…
Posted by SA Police News on Thursday, 4 February 2016
