A second Argentinian city banning electronic music events
Mar Del Plata, another Argentinian city banning electronic music events. This extreme kind of policy is in direct response to the drug and subsequent overdose problem at dance music events. Buenos Aires stopped issuing electronic music event permits in April last year.
A Kraftwerk show was almost cancelled because of this. The Buenos Aires ban came after the deaths of five partygoers at the Time Warp festival.
Mar Del Plata is the biggest beach resort destination in the country. The ban is likely to have an influence on tourist numbers.
The main concern behind the ban is in the interest of what the mayor, Carlos Arroyo is calling “public health”.
It is an extreme response to an issue that requires more intelligent solutions. The city banning electronic music events comes with a neighbourhood watch style Whatsapp line. Community members can hit up this line to report on any electronic music events happening. The ban was announced a week after a 20-year-old girl at a New Year’s party near Rosario.
Banning electronic music events appears to be a hasty decision that is as regressive as it will be effective. Shutting down a whole genre of parties and the culture and history that goes along with that is not going to be the simplest solution.
Nina Kraviz, Lee Foss, and Solomun are all scheduled to play in a few months. These events are now uncertain and other parties have now been abruptly put on hold.
Not all of the city’s councillors are on board with banning electronic music events…
“Rather than worry about banning, you should be concerned about more active state involvement. We must prevent actions that are negative for the population as a whole,” said Councillor Marcos Gutiérrez.
The issue is a global one however, in Melbourne a dodgey batch of drugs sold as MDMA has been linked to three deaths in the city.
In Toronto, Canada, a council member is pushing for a requirement that ensures electronic music festivals to have on site paramedics. Councillor Paula Fletcher of Ward 30 Toronto-Danforth is behind the initiative.
Statistically it would be interesting to see just how many actual injuries and/or fatalities have occurred compared to alcohol abuse, car accidents or from any other activities.
Sounds like a witch hunt to us!
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