cannabisnews.com: Two Arrested at Pro-Marijuana Rally in Toronto










  Two Arrested at Pro-Marijuana Rally in Toronto

Posted by CN Staff on August 21, 2004 at 16:06:43 PT
By The Canadian Press  
Source: Canadian Press  

Toronto -- A marijuana protest turned nasty Saturday when at least two people were detained during scuffles with city police on a park lawn near the provincial legislature.The dustup started after police -- accompanied by municipal bylaw officers and parks officials -- shut down the Canabian Day festival, a pro-pot rally when Toronto organizers failed to produce the necessary permits and insurance.
"The major issue is the fact that we couldn't get any insurance," said organizer Marko Ivancicevic."Basically, the last two years we've tried to get the (event) insurance but they keep denying us because it is a marijuana-based event."Several hundred demonstrators were barred from accessing a rented stage and using any sound equipment, including microphones and speakers, pulling the plug on a scheduled concert by six pro-marijuana bands.Tempers flared when a young male had his glasses smashed as he was restrained by officers after propping a protest sign reading, Legalize It and Weed My Lips, against a statue of King Edward."As far as I know, my friend was just standing there holding a sign, and then next thing I know, the cops are putting him in the back of a paddy wagon," said Dan Adams."He didn't do anything."A second protester, also holding a placard, tripped over a skateboard as he was put into a nearby cruiser, prompting jeers from the crowd.No names were released and it was not known if any charges were laid.Another demonstrator, Dominick Cramer _ who runs the non-profit Toronto Compassion Centre, which provides therapeutic marijuana to people who are sick _ was warned by police that he too could face arrest after he got into a shouting match with officers."This is ridiculous," Cramer said."The cops for some reason decided to get violent and threatening kids that were just holding a sign ... He wasn't smoking up, he was just holding a sign."Police spokesman Sgt. Joseph Gataveckas said he wasn't aware of any arrests Saturday."Like any protest, (officers are) there to keep the peace and to make sure that no one breaks the law," Gataveckas added.Similar protests were also slated for Hamilton and Niagara Falls.Statistics Canada reported last month that about three million Canadians, or 12.2 per cent, used cannabis at least once in the last year, with the highest rates of use among teens.Prime Minister Paul Martin has promised to introduce legislation to decriminalize the possession of small quantities of the drug.The Toronto arrests, however, only emboldened protesters who flagrantly lit joints and passed out "chronic candy."Others -- like Steven Bacon, a medical marijuana user -- wore his Health Canada permit on is forehead as he clung to a live pot plant and addressed the crowd.Bacon, who suffers from spinal cord and digestive problems, likened the Toronto arrests to the recent sentencing of another marijuana advocate in Saskatchewan.Marc Emery, president of the B.C. Marijuana Party and founder of Cannabis Culture magazine, was sentenced Thursday to three months in jail after pleading guilty to passing a joint to a supporter last March."Mark is being made an example of by the justice system," Bacon told the crowd. "They've put him in jail for 90 days, for God's sakes."Source: Canadian PressPublished: August 21, 2004Copyright: 2004 The Canadian PressRelated Articles & Web Sites:Canabian Dayhttp://www.canabianday.ca/B.C. Marijuana Partyhttp://www.bcmarijuanaparty.ca/Canabian Day - Globe & Mailhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19372.shtmlPot Activist Jailed - Canadian Presshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19364.shtmlEmery Charged with Traffickinghttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18541.shtml

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Comment #16 posted by FoM on August 24, 2004 at 08:13:40 PT
It's Everywhere!
Marijuana Stash Forces Cancellation of Film Shoots
 By Jane ArmstrongTuesday, August 24, 2004 - Page A5  
 
Vancouver -- Its dorms once housed thousands of psychiatric patients. Later, those big, empty rooms made it a natural for TV and film shoots. Now, police say, British Columbia's most infamous ex-hospital was also a thriving marijuana grow-operation.More than 500 carefully tended plants were found last weekend in the attic of the hospital-turned-film set where the popular TV series The X-Files was once filmed. 
Complete Article: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040824/NATS24-1/TPEntertainment/Film
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Comment #15 posted by FoM on August 22, 2004 at 11:23:31 PT
Just a Note
I don't think it's called a space key but the enter key to make a paragraph. I'm not good at knowing what some of these things are called. Sorry about that.
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Comment #14 posted by FoM on August 22, 2004 at 10:48:30 PT
Golden Lung 
No I didn't read it. Maybe it wasn't those things whatever they are called but sideway lines that messed it up. Don't use things like that just use your space key to make a paragraph or separate a point and people like me that have poor vision can read it easier.
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Comment #13 posted by Golden Lung on August 22, 2004 at 10:43:34 PT
...
WEre you able to read it at all? I didn't put any#### in there man
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Comment #12 posted by FoM on August 22, 2004 at 10:23:54 PT
Golden Lung
It messed up the comment. Those #### you put in pushed it out of line. It was hard to read too.
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Comment #11 posted by Golden Lung on August 22, 2004 at 10:21:24 PT:
what happened?
FoM, what happened that was alot of valuable information, on the legalization of pot.
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on August 22, 2004 at 08:59:13 PT

Golden Lung
You're comment messed up so I'll remove it. You can try to post it again and see if it works.
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Comment #8 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on August 22, 2004 at 04:05:29 PT

Latest on Marc / BCMP platform rant
The most up-to-date source of Marc Emery news seems to be the BC Marijuana Party page. But while looking around the site, I found their 2005 Election Platform, and i've got a couple of questions. First of all, "An end the all drug squads" isn't even a complete sentence - too much editing and not enough proofreading and we all sound like W. But policy-wise, I'm unsure about the top item - an end to all prisons. While theoretically a nice idea for an idealized society, surely we realize that SOME people DO need to be locked up. While they may have gone out of control lately, no society seems to be able to exist without the threat of throwing citizens in the pokey. It seems to be our jobs as citizens to make sure things don't get out of control, and to enact reforms when necessary. While three months for two joints is tyranically oppressive, I wouldn't want to release Charlie Manson or Colin Ferguson just yet. Their platform does allow for "isolation" without a punitive angle, but that needs a LOT more 'splainin' before John Q Voter buys it.Anyhoo. Get the latest on Marc Emery and the Saskatoon protests at:
http://bcmarijuanaparty.com/
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on August 21, 2004 at 22:57:03 PT

JustGetnBy
You're welcome. Kapt is very nice. I can say I know that for sure too. Hopefully he'll drop in.
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Comment #6 posted by JustGetnBy on August 21, 2004 at 22:50:30 PT

FOM
Thanks, your'e very kind.
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on August 21, 2004 at 22:17:39 PT

John Tyler 
I don't understand it all either. I didn't know that he pleaded guilty until the article came out. I don't know why? A good lawyer shouldn't have allowed him to plead guilty knowing that he could go to jail if he did.
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Comment #4 posted by John Tyler on August 21, 2004 at 22:07:51 PT

Marc Emery
Does anyone know the story about Marc Emery's guilty plea and his sentencing. I don't understand whats going on here. In the online version of Cannabis Culture his sentencing is the top story. Then in the article below it encourages the readers to fight all cannabis charges, but yet Marc took a plea. Is ther some behind the scene Canadian legal stragedy going on here?
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on August 21, 2004 at 17:01:31 PT

JustGetnBy
I just looked at the e-mail kapt sent me a while back. The work load is intense. It's a couple months of work. Maybe he will make a comment. That would be nice.
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Comment #2 posted by JustGetnBy on August 21, 2004 at 16:49:59 PT

KaptNemo
Hope things are going well for you, understand you are working hard, Please, check in when you can, your in-put makes my day.
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on August 21, 2004 at 16:32:39 PT

Related Article from The CBC
Toronto Police Pull Plug on Pro-Pot RallySaturday, August 21, 2004 Written by CBC News Online staffTORONTO - Minor scuffles were reported at a downtown pro-pot rally Saturday after Toronto police shut down the Canabian Day festival. Police detained two people. Several hundred people had showed up to take part in the rally to promote the legal use of marijuana. A stage had been rented nearby the provincial legislature, speakers lined up and six pro-marijuana music bands had signed up to perform. Those plans fell through when police asked organizers to show them city-issued permits and insurance to hold the event. The organizers, Cannabis in Canada, claim they were denied those permits because of the nature of the rally. A website description of the event reads, " The purpose of this event is to give cannabis consumers an opportunity to gather together with others in the local communities, to encourage local cannabis activism, and to enjoy a day of relaxation, entertainment and cannabis pride. Police at the event said they were on hand to keep the peace and maintain the law. Similar protests were also slated for Hamilton and Niagara Falls. http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2004/08/21/rally_pot040821.html
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