System Error

Anarcho - punk music festival. Crossed gate in VIII/5.

VIII era

Midlands

The 'System Error' festival was organised by group of crust-punk travellers from diverse locations. They omitted to inform the appropriate local authorities of their plans, which were destined to conflict with the police. Earlier skirmishes meant that some of the group's members and supporters had already become quite experienced rioters.

Coming nonetheless under heavy police pressure, the entire festival packed away overnight and simply drove off. None of its contingent have been seen since that fateful night.

The night was dark and dismally wet. Columns of cars, vans and buses were forging an unknown path through the darkness in their determination to put as much distance as possible between themselves and the authorities, who were known to be planning to invade the camp early the following morning.

 The following day dawned as usual, but onto a somewhat different looking world...

This proved an embarrassment for the local police, who had already informed the media that the area was sealed, and off-limits. Since the Police had received intelligence that weapons were present within the camp, they had gathered in appropriately armed units. Information gained during the night indicated significant movement within the camp, but reports suddenly stopped. As dawn broke, the camp had clearly been abandoned. Dozens of vehicles, and hundreds of revellers had simply disappeared without trace.

 Significantly, the police had also lost contact with one of their own patrols...

Whilst the membership of the 'System Error' group appeared quite compatible to the casual eye, there was considerable diversity for those who looked closer. It comprised Christian rastafarians, new-age Gaia-worshipping hippies, self-destructive punks, aggressive anarchist gangs, skinheads and satanists, and even included heavy-metal pagans.

 The evening prior to the police attack, a few hippies had conducted a Gaian ritual, requesting help, and a safe exit. Did she responded?

Isabella Lyndon

Emma Ferguson

Steven Moor

Mark Turner