Latest news with #CallamMitchell
Otago Daily Times
26-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Police used drone to surveil Christchurch festival-goers
Photo: Electric Avenue / Facebook A drone was used by police to keep tabs on thousands of people at the Electric Avenue music festival in Christchurch earlier this year. 1News has revealed the drone hovered a few hundred metres away from the festival which took place at Hagley Park on February 21-22 and drew a crowd of about 30,000. A live feed was sent to police on the ground, 1News reported. A powerful camera lens allowed officers to zoom in on the crowd and look out for potential criminal activity. The public was not warned in advance that the drone would be used, 1News reported. Its use was only revealed through an Official Information Act request, sent by 1News to police. In response to 1News' OIA request, police released footage officers recorded on the day, which showed revellers being apprehended by security and police. One of the clips also showed security guards pinning a man to the ground and throwing him out of the event. Further surveillance continued at night, with police using the thermal capabilities on the camera to track where people were, 1News reported. Police said it was primarily used to track potential disorder and assaults. However, emails and documents obtained by 1News through the OIA show they were also keeping an eye on 'fence jumpers' and potential drug activity, such as 'monitoring the sale and supply of controlled drugs'. The deployment was carried out without a warrant because one is not needed at large gatherings. Police instead relied on public filming rules, 1News reported. Festival organiser Callam Mitchell emailed police to flag that attendees had not been warned about the drone, the OIA showed. 'We can't agree to it for privacy reasons, but we nonetheless respect and appreciate it will be happening,' he said. 'In future years we will need to make sure it is included in our terms and conditions prior to tickets going on sale.' However, Mitchell has since had a change of heart after seeing how the drone operated at the event, and described it as a 'great thing' in an interview with 1News. 'Don't view a drone in the sky as big brother watching,' he told 1News. 'They're not there to pick on the end user having a good time and partying with their mates, they're there to make sure everyone's safe.'
Otago Daily Times
26-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Police used drone to surveil Electric Ave festival-goers
Photo: Electric Avenue / Facebook A drone was used by police to keep tabs on thousands of people at the Electric Avenue music festival in Christchurch earlier this year. 1News has revealed the drone hovered a few hundred metres away from the festival which took place at Hagley Park on February 21-22 and drew a crowd of about 30,000. A live feed was sent to police on the ground, 1News reported. A powerful camera lens allowed officers to zoom in on the crowd and look out for potential criminal activity. The public was not warned in advance that the drone would be used, 1News reported. Its use was only revealed through an Official Information Act request, sent by 1News to police. In response to 1News' OIA request, police released footage officers recorded on the day, which showed revellers being apprehended by security and police. One of the clips also showed security guards pinning a man to the ground and throwing him out of the event. Further surveillance continued at night, with police using the thermal capabilities on the camera to track where people were, 1News reported. Police said it was primarily used to track potential disorder and assaults. However, emails and documents obtained by 1News through the OIA show they were also keeping an eye on 'fence jumpers' and potential drug activity, such as 'monitoring the sale and supply of controlled drugs'. The deployment was carried out without a warrant because one is not needed at large gatherings. Police instead relied on public filming rules, 1News reported. Festival organiser Callam Mitchell emailed police to flag that attendees had not been warned about the drone, the OIA showed. 'We can't agree to it for privacy reasons, but we nonetheless respect and appreciate it will be happening,' he said. 'In future years we will need to make sure it is included in our terms and conditions prior to tickets going on sale.' However, Mitchell has since had a change of heart after seeing how the drone operated at the event, and described it as a 'great thing' in an interview with 1News. 'Don't view a drone in the sky as big brother watching,' he told 1News. 'They're not there to pick on the end user having a good time and partying with their mates, they're there to make sure everyone's safe.'
1News
25-05-2025
- 1News
Police used drone to surveil thousands at Chch's Electric Ave festival
Police used a drone to surveil thousands of people attending the Electric Ave music festival in Christchurch earlier this year, 1News can reveal. The drone operated as an 'eye in the sky', hovering at a fixed point a few hundred metres away from the festival. A live feed was sent to police on the ground and – thanks to a powerful camera lens – officers were able to zoom in on the crowd, monitoring any potential criminal activity. The public were not warned in advance. News of its use is only being revealed now through an Official Information Act (OIA) request, sent by 1News to police, seeking details of the deployment. In response to the OIA request, police have released footage its officers recorded on the day, including several examples of revellers being apprehended by security and police. In one of the clips, security guards can be seen pinning a man to the ground, and throwing him out of the event. ADVERTISEMENT Further surveillance continued at night, with police using the thermal capabilities on the camera to track where people were. Police have said it was primarily used to track potential disorder and assaults. However emails and documents obtained through the OIA show they were also keeping an eye on 'fence jumpers', as well as potential drug activity, with the drone team 'monitoring the sale and supply of controlled drugs'. The deployment was carried out without a warrant, because one is not needed at large gatherings. Police instead relied on public filming rules. It initially caused concern for the festival organiser, Callam Mitchell, who emailed police flagging that attendees had not been warned about the drone, the emails show. Electric Ave festival organiser Callam Mitchell. (Source: 1News) 'We can't agree to it for privacy reasons, but we nonetheless respect and appreciate it will be happening,' he said. 'In future years we will need to make sure it is included in our terms and conditions prior to tickets going on sale.' ADVERTISEMENT However, Mitchell has since had a change of heart after seeing how the drone operated at the event, and described it as a 'great thing' in an interview with 1News. 'Don't view a drone in the sky as big brother watching,' he said. 'They're not there to pick on the end user having a good time and partying with their mates, they're there to make sure everyone's safe.' That was echoed by inspector Darren Russell at Police National Headquarters, who described drones as a 'game changing' tool for police. Police inspector Darren Russell. (Source: 1News) 'We don't do that in a secretive way, it's really clear where we're launching from and landing to, and certainly people will be aware that we are using them', he said. Most of the time the drone was only streaming the video back to officers on the ground. Footage was only recorded and kept if police suspected an offence may be about to take place. ADVERTISEMENT 'It's very hard for police to be everywhere, so it does enable our teams on the ground to be able to respond directly to anything that may be occurring,' Russell said. 'Likely to become more commonplace' Emails obtained through the OIA indicate police are planning to expand their use of drones into even more scenarios – including protests. An email sent by Sergeant Dave Robertson, of the Canterbury Alcohol Harm Reduction Unit, shows just how quickly police are adopting the tool. 'As the technology improves, and Police resources in that regard grow, it is likely to become more commonplace,' Sgt Robertson said in January. 'We are hopeful that the practical use of drones at events may lead to a reduction in the number of Police staff we need to roster/commit to large scale public events.' Sgt Robertson also confirmed that drones can be used in several other settings, including 'protest activity, gang events, or outdoor concerts / festivals'. ADVERTISEMENT Two other examples of where drones were had been used in Canterbury were redacted under the OIA. Police can also use drones to surveil people's property but this typically requires a specific warrant, known as a Surveillance Device Warrant. However, they are regularly being used at short notice, and without a warrant, to help police in dangerous high-risk situations according to Inspector Russell. He provided a demonstration of a smaller tactical drone being used inside a house, showing off its ability to fly in through a window and film under beds, inside closets and enter every room of the property. This smaller tactical drone was primarily used to respond to high-risk offending, such as someone wielding a gun or in a hostage situation. 'The public seem to accept that and would expect us to use these tools where they are available to us, because it is about keeping them safe,' Inspector Russell said. 'We've got to be careful' ADVERTISEMENT The use of the drone at Electric Avenue didn't cause too much worry for citizen's rights expert Thomas Beagle, but concern is being raised about where the technology might go in future. Beagle, of the New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties, believes 'the cat's out of the bag' to some extent on surveillance of this kind, as people are already used to security cameras. New Zealand Council of Civil Liberties chairperson Thomas Beagle. (Source: 1News) He said there wasn't a 'strong negative' about the drone filming from one fixed point at the festival in this way, and the rules police were following were reasonable. But he felt it added to the feeling of 'being watched'. 'What I don't like about it is it's partly just increasing the idea that there's always cameras watching us, we're always being watched and tracked and monitored, and it's just another brick in that wall I guess, of that surveillance society,' he said. The issue was not what police were doing with drones today, but what they would do in future, he said. ADVERTISEMENT 'The problem is that a surveillance society comes on us step by step, it's not like we're just going to implement it one day and there it is,' he said. It raised the question of what would happen if the Government changed and wanted to start 'suppressing things', he said – pointing out this had happened overseas. "We've got to be careful about where we go, and we should be setting limits."
Otago Daily Times
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Electric Avenue breaks visitor spend record
The sold-out Electric Avenue festival in Christchurch resulted in a visitor spend of almost $10.5 million, an economic impact report from FreshInfo shows. The two day festival in February eclipsed the $6.3 million spent in the city by Electric Avenue attendees in 2024. The year was the first year it was held over two days. Said team event director Callam Mitchell: 'Moving to a two-day festival has been a work in progress for several years, and we're thrilled with how successful it's become, and how the whole city seem to be embracing it. 'Approximately 34,000 tickets were sold as full weekend passes proving there is a real appetite for a central multi-day festival, and we're already working hard behind the scenes towards the 2026 edition.' Electric Avenue attendees said they loved the event, with 96% reporting they were satisfied or very satisfied with their event experience and 96% of resident event attendees saying that hosting events like Electric Avenue makes the city a more enjoyable place to live. Reviewers also raved about the festival, with The Spinoff's Liv Sisson saying, 'Everyone I've talked to loved it. Every review has been glowing.' Stuff's reviewer said, 'Electric Avenue 2025 sent a clear message to New Zealand and the world — Christchurch is back, it's ready for international artists and, after years of rebuilding, it's becoming a cultural capital.' An estimated 55% of event attendees came from outside of Christchurch. 'This festival truly felt like a Coachella, a Bonnaroo, maybe even a Tomorrowland," said Mitchell. "The kind of thing you'd travel for, save for, plan for months with your mates for,' writes Sisson. The public seemed to agree, with demand for 20,000 more tickets than were available." The festival also helped accommodation providers, with the city at 98% occupancy during Electric Avenue, which generated 62,902 visitor nights with an average stay of 2.97 nights. Festivalgoers partied to more than 60 acts across five stages across a site as large as 20 football fields while using 300,000 reusable cups that were washed and re-used on site. ChristchurchNZ head of major events Karena Finnie said it was exciting to see the city's homegrown festival super-size. 'We are looking forward to seeing this event go from strength to strength. Callam and his team have defied the negative headwinds that have affected music festivals worldwide and the success of Electric Avenue shows Ōtautahi Christchurch has something for everyone. This reputation helps our city attract students and young workers, helping to fill the talent pipeline for our city's innovative businesses.'
NZ Herald
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Christchurch music festival Electric Avenue breaks visitor spend record held since 1974 Commonwealth Games
The city was at 98% occupancy from Thursday through to Saturday. Festival Director Callam Mitchell said it was phenomenal to be compared to an international event such as the Commonwealth Games. 'Inflation may have contributed to that comparison, but, you know, we'll take it nonetheless.' He said they wanted the festival to move to a two-day event for a few years. 'So to pull it off and have 40,000 people through the gates each of the two days is incredible. 'And just to see the way the city embraced it, the whole city came alive.' Mitchell said, essentially, 60% of their audience came from outside the city. 'We've got a big role to play now and just keep building on the success that we've carved out over the last 10 years. 'It's a lot of pressure, but pressure that we welcome nonetheless, and it's a big responsibility to deliver an event on the scale of knowing what it means for the city.' ChristchurchNZ head of major events Karena Finnie said this year's festival certainly resulted in the biggest visitor spend this decade. 'We could potentially go as far [as] to say that it was the biggest since the 1974 Commonwealth Games, but willing to be corrected on that; we'll wait and see.' She said it eclipsed other recent events, such as the 2019 Phil Collins concert ($5.8m), 2023 Sail GP ($4m) and Riccarton race week ($3m). Electric Avenue's 2025 event drew 22,848 visitors to Christchurch, with people staying an average of 2.75 nights. 'We can confidently say that the majority of these visitors stayed in paid accommodation, and we believe that hotel occupancy was close to 100% that weekend,' Finnie said. 'So, on average, each visitor spent close to $459 during their weekend stay here in the city. That's excluding ticketing costs and everything like that.' Mitchell said there were always little improvements to make for next year, to ensure the event becomes bigger and better. 'We're working pretty hard to have a line-up together for September, and all going well, we'll be able to announce some dates in a couple of weeks.' Christchurch Star.
