cannabisnews.com: Weedstock Busted, Closed 12 Arrested





Weedstock Busted, Closed 12 Arrested
Posted by FoM on May 27, 2000 at 11:06:57 PT
By Richard W. Jaeger, Regional Reporter 
Source: Wisconsin State Journal
Twelve people including Weedstock organizer Ben Masel were arrested Friday as authorities moved in and closed down the annual Memorial Day weekend festival to push for legalization of marijuana held on a farm east of here. Masel's arrest came as he returned to the town of Fairfield farm, where nearly 300 festival-goers had already set up camp, to tell them he had a court order prohibiting Sauk County Sheriff Randy Stammen from arresting any of them for unlawful assembly. 
In a twist, the arrest of the longtime marijuana advocate was made on a court order issued by Sauk County Circuit Judge Virginia Wolfe that shut down the 12th annual festival, "Weedstock 2000." Wolfe said Masel and his followers had failed to get a permit under a new county ordinance restricting open-air gatherings of more than 1,000. The charges against Masel were for contempt of Wolfe's court order. Masel was wrestled to the ground and handcuffed by sheriff's deputies and other police officers. Almost 50 officers from throughout the county had gathered at the farm owned by Marcus Gumz, father of State Rep. Sheryl Albers, R-Loganville. Masel continued to shout at the officers that they were denying him his constitutional right to free assembly. His lawyer, Jeff Scott Olson of Madison, stood by as his client was escorted to a squad car and whisked away to Baraboo, where he later was freed on a signature bond and ordered to return on the misdemeanor count. A conviction carries a fine of up to $5,000 and 12 months in jail. Olson called the arrest tragic. He said there was an obvious conflict between the court order he had obtained an hour earlier from Columbia County Circuit Judge James Miller, which restrained authorities from arresting festival-goers unless the authorities could show the crowd was unlawfully assembled. "The two (orders) are both in force and there is an obvious conflict," Olson said as he stood by the front gate to the farm where deputies had posted the Wolfe court order and a sign closing the festival. However, Olson went onto the grounds with a police escort to advise festival-goers to leave or face arrest on contempt charges. The longtime Madison civil rights attorney said that as long as Stammen and his deputies did not make any arrests on the basis of unlawful assembly, they were not disobeying the Miller order. He shrugged when asked which order had precedence. "All I can say is we were in court before they were, and we were not invited to their court hearing although we were in the courthouse," he said. The challenge made by Masel was sent to Columbia County when Sauk County judges refused the hear the matter and recused themselves. Stammen said the 11 others arrested also were charged with contempt of court. Their arrests were made about three hours after officers moved onto the farm and warned festival-goers to leave or face arrest. "We gave them more time than the court order said," the sheriff said. "What we had were a handful who were not going to leave, no matter what." He said there was some confrontation in several of those arrests, which were made out of sight of the media members who had gathered at the scene but were barred from entering. The 11 were taken to Baraboo in a school bus, which followed two armored vehicles onto the grounds shortly after 6 p.m. Stammen said there were no injuries and the arrests did not require any force. The 11, like Masel, were to appear before a judge called in Friday night. Most were released on signature bonds or had to post up to $500 in bail. Many of the party-goers left the grounds shortly after the authorities arrived and gave their initial warning. Most of them were from out of state -- dozens of vehicles had Iowa and Illinois license plates and several were from New York and Maryland. As one officer at the scene said: "The out-of-staters would have to post cash and probably have to come back here at a later date for a court appearance. They probably felt it wasn't worth it." Joe Mayer of Eau Claire didn't leave as peacefully. He stopped to address reporters, yelling loudly that his constitutional rights were being violated. "They just stormed in here like the Gestapo. We have a right to be here and have a right to free assembly," he said. Mayer said the mood on the grounds was not to leave but make a peaceful stand. But he slipped out the gate and down the road toward town. Stammen promised to return today and the remainder of the weekend to ensure that the gathering does not re-form. Masel, however, said he was moving Weedstock to the Sauk County Courthouse grounds and "to other unidentified places around Sauk County." About 60 people, including one of the musical groups that had planned to appear at the farm, had gathered on the courthouse lawn at 8 p.m. as Masel walked around with a banner proclaiming legalization of marijuana. Published: May 27, 2000Copyright © 2000 Wisconsin State Journal Related Articles & Web Sites:Weed Stockhttp://weedstock.com Drug Policy Forum Of Wisconsinhttp://drugsense.org/dpfwi/Authorities Break Up Annual Weedstock Festivalhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread5854.shtmlCounty Approves Abatement Order for Weedstockhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread5842.shtml
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Comment #6 posted by jeff snyder on June 13, 2001 at 15:15:52 PT:
Thank you my government for giving the kids the 
DRUG TRADE!!! The government seems to be happy with giving the durg bussiness to our kids and the moffia. I can tell you this, that sends a bad message to our kids!!! Make drugs legal and put drugs in the hands of the grownups. The government must help us by doing what is best for us. How can they ever make a good decision if they refuse to listen? Why will they not listen?????????????? Pissed in North Carolina
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Comment #5 posted by jeff snyder on June 13, 2001 at 15:03:42 PT:
not this government
This government has never been for human rights. They ran over the Indains as fast as they could to get the land. They said it was because something was wrong with them. They held on to the Black slave as long as they could. They said something was wrong with them. Our government has always made other countries people pay in pain to us to steal their land and resources. Always!!! They bribe other governments and pay them off to kill and steal from their people in the name of this or that. The cold war is gone so now the new name is the war on drugs. They say something is wrong with us. Could they be wrong again???
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Comment #4 posted by Gary Christ on May 29, 2000 at 00:37:13 PT
weedstock
It was a truely sad experiance to drive two hundred miles,anticipating a peaceful weekend of camping and fellowshiping with fellow patriots, only to find cops barring the gates of an empty field! Ben Masel and his helpers did an outstanding job and spent a lot of money, preparing for this assembelage of the most peaceful and friendly people I know.The field had dozens of porta potties and garbage dumpsters in anticipation of thousands of people, all wasted in another prime example of government ripping the constitution apart in the name of the drug war. I would like to know how much it cost the county to send in the 50 cops, excuse me, thugs, to destroy an important event.If you read this Ben, God bless you, your efforts are not in vain, for every action there is a reaction, and hopefully this tereny will rebound into a positive effect!"This ain't America" is about all I could shout, as the cops trampled on the constitution.I pray there is a quick end to this horrible waste, known as prohibition. Take care Ben, you are a mentor to many.
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Comment #3 posted by nl5x on May 28, 2000 at 13:56:45 PT
300 = 1000 ?
did i miss something?Masel's arrest came as he returned to the town of Fairfield farm, where nearly 300 festival-goers had already set up camp, to tell them he had a court order prohibiting Sauk County Sheriff Randy Stammen from arresting any of them for unlawful assembly. In a twist, the arrest of the longtime marijuana advocate was made on a court order issued by Sauk County Circuit Judge Virginia Wolfe that shut down the 12th annual festival, "Weedstock 2000." Wolfe said Masel and his followers had failed to get a permit under a new county ordinance restricting open-air gatherings of more than 1,000. 
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Comment #2 posted by nl5x on May 28, 2000 at 13:56:12 PT
300 = 1000 ?
did i miss something?Masel's arrest came as he returned to the town of Fairfield farm, where nearly 300 festival-goers had already set up camp, to tell them he had a court order prohibiting Sauk County Sheriff Randy Stammen from arresting any of them for unlawful assembly. In a twist, the arrest of the longtime marijuana advocate was made on a court order issued by Sauk County Circuit Judge Virginia Wolfe that shut down the 12th annual festival, "Weedstock 2000." Wolfe said Masel and his followers had failed to get a permit under a new county ordinance restricting open-air gatherings of more than 1,000. 
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Comment #1 posted by Kevin Way on May 28, 2000 at 12:51:40 PT:
The British are coming....
Hey Big Brother,You should have left it alone.You know its going to backfire.Our passion is carved in stone.Im for human rights anywhere in the world. The US of A is supposed to be a leader in this matter. Makes me feel sick inside when something like this happens, especially in YOUR OWN BACK YARD.
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