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Parklife operation saw 33 arrests and search powers used, police say

Graham Joy Parklife on SaturdayGraham Joy
About 70,000 people attended the festival in Manchester's Heaton Park

The operation at Parklife in Manchester saw 33 arrests and the use of stop and search powers over suspected gang activity, police have said.

About 70,000 people attended the event in Heaton Park at the weekend.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said the majority of arrests were for drug possession and dealing.

However, a senior officer said temporary stop and search powers were used over "very credible evidence of gangs carrying machetes and knives".

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said Deputy Chief Constable Terry Woods told Greater Manchester Police, Fire and Crime Panel the move happened after intelligence was received, which gave officers "a more proactive power to search people".

He said as a result, powers were used in areas surrounding the festival and "we didn't have what was intended to happen".

"I would argue that was prevented. We'll never know," he added.

'No major incident'

Mr Woods went on to praise the way Parklife was managed and said the event had had "a particularly sound plan".

"Within that, there were aspects of drugs testing capabilities and I think a very mature response to what is a predominantly younger people's event," he said.

"What we weren't doing was arresting hundreds of young people.

"Manchester responded very maturely I think to that event and to keep people safe."

Sophia Carey Parklife signSophia Carey
GMP said the event "left people smiling" and the weekend "passed off safely and without any major incident"

A GMP representative said the event had provided "plenty of memorable moments and surprises over the course of the weekend and not just from the acts taking to the stage", pointing also to the pausing of the festival on safety grounds during a brief storm on Sunday and the subsequent problems on the region's tram network.

However, they said that despite the "challenges", the festival "still left people smiling" and the weekend "passed off safely and without any major incident".

They confirmed that 33 people were arrested for a number of reasons:

  • Seven on suspicion of possession of illegal drugs
  • Two on suspicion of possession of a bladed article
  • One on suspicion of a public order offence
  • One on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker
  • One on suspicion of a sexual offence
  • One on suspicion of drink driving
  • Twenty-two on suspicion of possession with intent to supply illegal drugs

The LDRS has approached the organisers of Parklife for comment.

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