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Rupert finds D---gs at Isle Of Wight. 

   Corruption of IOW youth.

August 25th 1970.
    The big sweep through at the Isle Of Wight began a week before the festival started. Hundreds of fans arrived on the camping site around the 21st and all the tickets were sold out by the 26th. The statistics that are available showed that 20,000 of them were sold in Europe and the USA , where package trips to the festival had been arranged. In spite of the agreement reached between the organsers and both Island Authorities and local landowners , a minority hard core and vocal opposition against the event continued. Saboteur managed to create 500 pounds worth of damage a week before the festival started and Fiery Creations received several threatening letters. 

The last post marked Shanklin IOW Simply read "the first group on stage will be shot." 

    In response one of the organisers said "the event and the thousands who attend will show this bigoted minority that young people can behave responsibly . We are sure the majority of the Islanders will welcome the fans." The local press managed as usual to bring together the vitriolic forces of opposition . The leading editorial comment from one of the papers concluded by saying

" it is obvious to any thoughtful person that the third and final war has been on for some time and it is obvious that the communists are winning . "

    These remarks were prompted by a meeting of the local council when four members put out a report that said they had made a study of pop festivals., particularly the one at Wooton and discovered that there was considerable misuse of drugs and examples of sexual abandon . Note that they said the misuse of drugs , perhaps they mean that if we all turn on in moderation theyÕre not going to mind. They said they are convinced that the prime objective of pop festivals is to destroy and disrupt the society in which we live and work . This is to be achieved by an attack on the teenager and the even younger by destroying their will to live and work normally through the use of drugs and sexual promiscuity and by teaching them to live free by dishonest means. They conclude by saying that the movement is directed primarily against the Anglo Saxon world and a look at the United States today seems to support this view.

    Little imagination is required to visualise the conditions of this country if a movement of this sort gains ground . In a letter in a local paper they drew Islanders attention to mainland TV reports which says that there are considerable pressures to turn the Isle Of Wight into a world centre for pop festivals. NH Clarke , WA Howett and SC Selwyn went on to say that it is obvious that large numbers of demoralised types would be attracted to the Island and once there it would only be with the greatest of difficulty that they could be removed. It seems that they also realize that such communities have already been formed in various parts of the United States and Europe . They want everyone to realize that such a development on the Island would seriously affect their way of life and amenities and could lead to the demoralization of the Island's young people


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Isle of Wight 1970 festival menu

updated March 2019


The Underground press- NB: opinions expressed in these articles do not represent our opinions of the organisers or any other people involved in the running of the festival, it is possible that they may be innaccurate in some details or facts.

 

International Times.

Reports from the "Straight "press

updated March 2019

External links

The White Panthers


Other IOW festivals.
  • 1968 Isle of Wight festival
  • 1969 Isle of Wight festival
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