Illegal techno party broken up by police

The Czech police have broken up an illegal techno music festival near the village of Bonenov, some 130 kilometres west of Prague. The move came after the owner of the grounds pressed charges against unknown perpetrators - the festival's organizers -who had made use of private farmland without the owner's consent. The festival drew some 15, 000 visitors but many of them left when the police closed off the area and started dismantling sound equipment early on Monday. According to the CTK news agency there were clashes between some festival visitors and police, with bottles and branches being thrown, resulting in minor injuries. Police then allegedly used tear gas and water canons to prevent further clashes. The remaining visitors left in the course of Tuesday. Two young men had to be hospitalized after collapsing from an overdose of drink and drugs.