Lambeth Council has stated ‘terrorism’ as a reason as to why it won’t make public the plans for the ticketed Brockwell Park fireworks display. In a response to a Freedom of Information request put forward by a resident, the Council has stated: [pdf]

“In the current climate of domestic and international terrorism event organisers, the public, need to be particularly vigilant. The current threat level from international terrorism for the United Kingdom is assessed as severe, meaning that a terrorist attack is highly likely.”

Brixton Buzz originally published a copy of the Overplay Plan for the event which takes place on 5 November. We received a heavy handed legal letter from Lambeth Council and Whole Nine Yard Productions, the private company hired to put on the event, within half an hour of publishing.

‘Copyright infringement’ was given as the reason as to why we couldn’t publish the plans. It now seems that this has been upgraded to try and stop a terrorist threat – which at least has a little sense of irony given the Guido Fawkes story.

Three specific areas of concern have been quoted by the Council in response to the FoI filed by resident Dave Jepson, and then his subsequent appeal against the original decision:

“1. the threat posed by those who might wish to disrupt the event and cause harm to

others; 2. the threat that persons who wish to crash the event might pose to themselves and

others; 3. the nature of the event, i.e. the use of pyrotechnics in conjunction with the first two

concerns.”

Tellingly the response then overlooks terrorism to address more commercial concerns:

“Providing the overlay plans would allow anyone seeking to crash the event to the opportunity to identify potential points for themselves without regard for their own or the safety of others.”

Brixton Buzz still has a copy of the Overlay Plans. We don’t have a legal fighting fund – unlike Lambeth Council which can call upon public funds if it wants to get heavy handed.

We have no wish to cause a major terrorism alert at Brockwell Park. We suspect that Lambeth Council doesn’t really buy into the whole conspiracy theory that it has dreamt up either.

Our only interest in publishing the plans is to show what absolute meanies the Event Team at Lambeth Council is. The plans state that the fireworks should be launched at the lowest level in the park to make sure that any non-paying punters can’t catch a freebie view.

Plus the exact specifications of the security fence around Brockwell Park are also listed. We doubt if any terrorist organisation would be able to penetrate through the industrial sized fence to be honest.

And so if you are forking out £7 to see the fireworks at Brockwell Park this year then raise a glass for us when you see good old Guido being burned close to Brockwell Hall.

Are we allowed to give away the location of the bonfire?

Whoops.