Canterbury field party man 'threatened with Taser'

A man whose party in a Canterbury field was closed by Kent Police has claimed he was threatened with a Taser and his friends were pepper sprayed.

Joshua Buggins said he had the farmer's permission to hold his 25th birthday party in the field between Selling and Chilham on Saturday night.

"We knew we were on legal land, we knew we were in the right," he said.

A spokeswoman for Kent Police said a Taser had not been drawn during the incident.

Assistant Chief Constable Paul Brandon said: "I do believe pava [pepper] spray was used whilst an arrest took place."

Mr Brandon said: "As a result of the assessment that was made, the rave was stopped. People were asked to leave, the equipment was seized."

He said that people at the party were unhappy with the police action and three people were arrested for a combination of assaulting officers and obstructing the police. A fourth arrest was made later.

Told to 'shut up'

Mr Buggins said police officers were given the order to take the music equipment that had been set up in the field.

"We asked for the paperwork and were told to 'shut up', and then we were threatened with Tasers if we didn't shut up."

"One of my friends was palmed in the face, turned around and a copper was pointing a Taser at him."

Mr Buggins said that two girls had been pepper sprayed.

"Why didn't they pepper mace me?" he said.

"There was no provoked attitude to the police, at all."

Mr Brandon said that police had the power to close down raves even when the land owner had granted permission, if there are disturbances to the public.

He said: "They [police officers] have their officer's safety equipment, one of of which is the pava spray, which they can use if the circumstances warrant it."

Kent Police said there had been no formal complaints about the conduct of officers in relation to the party.

All four arrested people have been released on bail.