DJs In San Francisco, Beware

This is some fucked up shit:

http://www.sfweekly.com/2009-11-18/music/s-f-cops-may-have-gone-too-far-in-seizing-dj-gear-at-underground-parties

  Quote

Over the past six months, music fans who have been spinning records — or even just attending friends' events — claim their laptops, soundboards, and mixers have been taken by the cops in police raids. The busted gatherings include an illegal dance party, an artist fundraiser, and a private Halloween bash. While it's unclear whether the lack of official permits was enough reason to close down all these parties, the bigger question is why the police are seizing and holding private property that DJs and attendees use as valuable tools for making their art and living.

yeah i've been hearing about this a lot lately. It's never happened to anyone i know but i've heard rumblings of it everywhere. good thing the cops in Oakland don't seem to give a shit. It would be nice if a bigger music scene grew over here in the east bay (berekeley, oakland, emeryville) as a result of these SF party crackdowns.

edit: i'd feel a lot worse for a musician who lost his laptop by police than a DJ who was simply loosing his mp3 collection not his one of a kind art

Sounds completely illegal.

wtf?!

Why did they even write the Fourth Amendment?

  On 11/19/2009 at 9:46 AM, OneToThirtySix said:

Why did they even write the Fourth Amendment?

to give the lawyers something to do?

to create an illusion for you?

  On 11/19/2009 at 10:18 AM, chenGOD said:

to create an illusion for you?

Ah, the old "everything is yours until we say you didn't buy it" trick. Gets me every time.

major lol

As if the electronic music scene needed a bigger rift between them and the police. This kind of thing seems to be on the rise in other places as well.