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The Metropolitan Police has defended the use of controversial Form 696 - a form the entertainment industry says "racially profiles" gig goers. The form is now used by local authorities in London as part of the licensing process for live music events. Promoters and musicians object to the fact that the personal details of all performers are demanded, and also that very specific genre information is requested. It's believed that information is used to make possibly prejudiced judgements about the demographics of an event's possible audience. With cross-industry trade body UK Music leading the opposition to the form, parliament's Culture Select Committee last week criticised the paperwork, saying in its report on licensing laws that it was part of an "increasingly authoritarian approach" employed by police and local authorities in the licensing of music events. Club shootings down But, according to Billboard, the Met's Thomas Bowen and Adrian Studd argued at The Great Escape music festioval last week that there had been an 11% reduction in crime at live venues in London this year, and that club shootings were down, adding that information garnered from the Form 696 has helped in that process. They claimed: "The development of 696 has undoubtedly contributed to lowering shootings in these venues". Speaking for the live industry, MAMA Group's Steve Forster said he wasn't convinced 696 was the right way to go about policing crime at clubs and music events. He said the form was "too narrow", and that police should be focusing on the small number of "high risk events" rather than putting all promoters through the unnecessary and intrusive 696 process.
Additional reporting by CMU Network
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