Judges have dismissed a High Court challenge calling for a popular urban music festival to be banned from Finsbury Park.
Legal action was brought by campaigners after last year’s event was blighted by hordes of gatecrashers, violence and serious offences including knife crime.
Activists also said the festival left the green space looking like a dust bowl with grass taking months to grow back.
But today during a hearing at the High Court in London, judges threw out the case brought against Haringey Council by campaign group Friends of Finsbury Park after it crowd-funded more than £11,000 to cover legal costs.
Haringey Council, which claims events like Wireless raised £400,000 for improvements to Finsbury Park just last year, welcomed the outcome.
Cabinet Member for Environment Cllr Peray Ahmet said: “We are pleased with today’s ruling, which means that large scale live music events in Finsbury Park and open spaces across London are no longer under threat.
“Events like Wireless make a huge contribution to London’s cultural scene and in Haringey bring in hundreds of thousands of pounds which is spent improving our parks and attracting more visitors.
“We will continue to work with residents and event organisers to ensure the Wireless festival is safe and enjoyable for all."
Friends of Finsbury Park campaign chair Tom Palin said: “We are considering today’s judgment and will be issuing a statement tomorrow which will outline our plans to appeal this decision.”
The group had contended the council had no right to grant the festival permission under the Greater London Parks and Open Spaces Act 1967, claiming Haringey’s actions were unlawful because the event shuts off 27 per cent of the park when the maximum permitted by legislation is 10 per cent.
Some 50,000 people a day attended last year’s three-day festival. This year acts include Calvin Harris, Kygo, Chase and Status, Jess Glynne, and Lady Leshurr.
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