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Police break up 'fully-fledged rave' on London Underground

Monday night commute on the Bakerloo line livened up with an MC, flashing lights and a sound system

Rachel Roberts
Tuesday 11 April 2017 18:59 EDT
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Police had to stop this 'fully-fledged' rave on a Tube train

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Police broke up a “fully-fledged” rave which featured an MC, flashing lights and a sound system on a packed central London Underground carriage.

A video uploaded to YouTube showed enthusiastic revellers waving their hands in the air to drum 'n' bass music in a crowded carriage on the northbound Bakerloo line.

Award-winning MC Harry Shotta told passengers: “Real live drum ‘n’ bass on the underground right now.”

The six-minute film showed the party getting started as the train travelled from Embankment to Paddington, where British Transport Police (BTP) officers shut down the good-natured event.

A passenger told the Evening Standard: “It was only on it for two or three stops but everyone seemed to be enjoying it.“

The unusual event was reportedly organised by internet pranksters Trollstation, who achieved notoriety last year for crashing an X-Factor performance by Honey G.

Organiser Discoboy - real name Lee Marshall - told the Press Association: ”There was a great atmosphere. The police shut it down but they were cool about it.“

The event, which was halted at around 10.40pm, divided opinion online, with Enter Shikari frontman Rou Reynolds tweeting: "I think there should be a rave carriage on each tube train tbh. HarryShotta you legend."

But commuter Elise Myette was less impressed, writing: "Can you please let me know why there's some live rap performance holding up trains and keeping me from my PJs?"

YouTuber Svenskier, who captured footage of the event, wrote under his video that it was "not your normal Monday night on the Bakerloo line."

The Paddington British Transport Police Twitter account revealed they attended the event after reports of raucous activity, but said the ravers were "light-hearted" and "co-operative" when the rave was shut down.

A force spokesman said: "Officers attended and spoke with a man who agreed to turn off the speakers and the light systems. They then left the station.

“Whilst officers relish any opportunity to experience underground drum and bass, we'd kindly ask DJs to refrain from using the Tube as a pop-up club.

"It may be the Easter Holiday, but there is a time and a place and we'd ask everyone to consider other passengers using the network."

The Press Association contributed to this report

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