"Knives and drugs mar gig
Annalise Walliker
March 12, 2007 12:00am
TWO stabbings and 36 drug arrests marred the Future Music Festival at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl yesterday.
Two people were stabbed inside the festival grounds just before 8pm.
Both were rushed to the Alfred Hospital, one in a serious condition, said Metropolitan Ambulance spokesman Ray Rowe.
Two sniffer dogs patrolling outside the Music Bowl helped detect various drugs including cannabis, ecstasy, MDMA and date-rape drug GHB.
Two people were charged with trafficking, one person was charged with possession and assaulting police, and 33 others in possession of drugs will be forced to attend a drug diversion program.
The number of arrests is significantly down on last year's Two Tribes event, when 69 people were arrested.
The number of people bringing dangerous drugs to a public place was disturbing, Acting Sen-Sgt Michael Lamb said.
"It is a significant enough problem that we'll continue to police these events," he said.
"Those individuals who choose to come to these events and deal drugs will be dealt with, with the full brunt of the law."
More than 25,000 people attended the daytime dance party featuring DJs TV Rock, Fedde Le Grand, Felix Da Housecat and Carl Cox.
The festival is the successor to the Two Tribes dance party, where 10 people reportedly suffered drug overdoses in March 2004.
The stabbings and arrests spoiled what had been an otherwise well-behaved and quiet day, according to emergency services.
The Metropolitan Ambulance Service and St John Ambulance earlier praised the crowd for its good behaviour. No drug overdoses were reported.
St John spokesman Peter Cox said officers had a quiet day, treating about 60 people for heat exposure, cuts and blisters.
"It was probably a little bit warmer than some people expected it to be.
"But for the size of the event, for what we'd normally expect, it's been surprisingly quiet," he said."