I'm not suggesting that street performers are in themselves a problem. But gatherings of large numbers of people can be a problem. There are evidently issues with loud performances interfering with other acts. There may be issues of obstruction. There may be disputes between performers both claiming the same pitch. If NWF cannot control these (and apparently they have no legal basis to do so) then how can they run the festival? It sounds like a recipe for mayhem to me.

I hear what you are saying. The point I would make, is that there is only one item on your list may apply exclusively to musical activities. And these loud performances interfering with others is is hardly a public safety concern. And although this problem is mentioned, it was not one specific to Reggie's experience.

It would appear that the attraction of this event is or was an attempt at some kind of celebration of the public's freedom of expression. It should perhaps be seen in this light and this brave attempt given some credit, rather than encouraging the event to continue but at the expense of this freedom.

The price paid for that freedom and the success of the event may be a little chaotic but it does not appear to have yet reached the public safety risk level of a war zone. If the attending public do not address their differences with common sense, the event will come to an end and that will be sad. But are we all really so scared of the reality of the freedom we claim to value so much or do we go to war in the name of freedom only to deprive others of theirs?   

As you rightly say, all large gatherings present problems and these require sensible regulation but I refuse to see music making in itself as anything other than beneficial in the first instance.

Please do not give any encouragement to those who can only see music making as presenting problems. They need no encouragement and we will always have to struggle with them anyway but let us not have to struggle with ourselves, when we do firstly see the benefits of music making.