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Kelowna  

Few issues, lots of fun at COG

Center of Gravity is running smoothly and seeing fewer problems than last year according to Kelowna RCMP.

By 10:30 a.m. Sunday the sun was getting hot, there were several games of volleyball and vendors were setting up shop for the day. 

Sgt Ann Morrison said the festival, being held in City Park, is very well organized and, so far, has not seen much criminal activity.

Friday night RCMP made about a dozen arrests. Morrison said they were mostly highly intoxicated people and people trying to jump the fence, or return after being kicked out. 

Morrison said Saturday night they made closer to 20 arrests which included busting a few people for possession of drugs with the intent to distribute. 

There have been some fights and BC Ambulance has made more than 20 trips to the grounds. They were mainly transporting people who were using or overusing drugs and alcohol, in some cases to the extent of suffering broken bones while intoxicated.

Although Morrison could not comment on their behalf, she said the gang task force has been patrolling the grounds and has spoken with a few people, but there have been no serious gang-related issues.

"People have been pretty good, we are catching things and doing the appropriate searches before people come in - ICM is doing a great job," she said. "There's always a few that break the law."

"One of the artists on Friday night saw a fight in front of him and stopped the music and told them to 'smarten up, or I won't play any more' which is really effective," she said. 

There are also fewer people attending COG this year compared to 2013, partly due to a change in date which brought the festival away from the August long weekend. 

Asking around the grounds established J. Cole and Calvin Harris as the crowd favourites so far.

International Crowd Management declined to comment on the situation they have been facing on the grounds. 

 

 

 



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