Dope festival out of grass

[Mulcontent]

Found: Sat May 03 07:18:12 2008 PDT

Source: Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)

Copyright: 2008 The Sydney Morning Herald

Contact: letters@smh.com.au

Website: http://www.smh.com.au/

Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/441

Webpage: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/dope-f...

Author: Amphetamine And Alcohol Use

Newshawk: http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/

 

Simon Webster

 

May 4, 2008

 

A POLICE clampdown on cannabis smokers at Nimbin's annual Mardi Grass festival was allowing it to be taken over by amphetamine and alcohol use, an organiser said.

 

"The crowd are complaining there's not enough pot," Mardi Grass parade marshall Graeme Dunstan said of this weekend's festival.

 

"There's too much alcohol and too much speed, which people bring in from outside. The police go for cannabis because it's easy to spot."

 

Police have vowed to stamp out drugs in Nimbin. They sent officers from the riot, drug and mounted squads, plus regular officers, as an estimated 20,000 people gathered for a weekend of music, pot smoking and protest to demand the legalisation of cannabis.

 

"We are seeking to eliminate the supply of prohibited drugs," Richmond Local Area Command acting Superintendent Steve Clarke said on Friday. "We will not tolerate any breaches of any laws."

 

Michael Balderstone, president of the Nimbin Hemp Embassy, said the Nimbin community was furious about the police's approach. "You may as well get a stick and poke it in a hornet's nest. It's pointless. You can put us in jail for 20 years and you won't change our opinions."

 

Police obtained a court order on Friday to close the Nimbin Hemp Bar and Hemp Museum for 72 hours. Police alleged the bar and museum were known drug-dealing premises.

 

A raid on the museum on April 1 allegedly recovered four kilograms of cannabis. Eight people were charged with drug offences.

 

Mr Balderstone said the fact that only cannabis was found showed that Nimbin had got rid of its hard drugs problem. "We had ice [crystal methamphetamine] four or five years ago but the community's worked very hard to get ice out of town," he said.

 

Police were also enforcing alcohol-free zones at the festival, acting Superintendent Clarke said.

 

Debbie Guest, owner of the Nimbin Hotel, said the police clampdown had been "huge", with strict enforcement of responsible service of alcohol rules.

 

"We've never had trouble at Mardi Grass," she said. "People come for a good time."

 

Graham Way, 71, a Nimbin resident for 50 years, said the clampdown was a good thing. "You get harassed going up the street by people peddling drugs," he said.

 

Mardi Grass events include the Hemp Olympix, including a plantathlon, bong throwing and joint rolling.Source: The Sun-Herald

[spaceleaf]

I hate cops, I hate cops guess what? I hate cops, Leave the m.j smokers alone, we are a non violent group of aussie who mind there own buisnesses and are usaully law abideing ,tax paying members of society........leave us alone....you wankers............spaceleaf...

[nugget]

21 Arrested At Nimbin festival < Click for link to story

 

 

THOUSANDS of people have converged on Nimbin for the annual MardiGrass festival, where police said they have made 21 arrests.

 

Police have launched Operation Brewarrana to patrol the three-day festival, billed a cannabis law reform rally, which began today in the northern NSW town renowned for its vibrant alternative community.

 

"Police have maintained a high profile in the township,'' a police statement issued today said.

 

"Twenty one people were arrested today in Nimbin and nearby localities, mostly for drug offences.

 

"Police seized cannabis as well as amphetamines and ecstasy.''

 

Officers are conducting regular foot patrols as well as random breath testing and drug-dog operations.

 

 

 

I hope all you Ozstoners up there are keeping safe and haven't run into any trouble

 

[ConvexConepiece]

I agree with nugget, but its a pretty safe bet that the OS crew havn't run out of weed

[Indycar]

Graham Way, 71, a Nimbin resident for 50 years, said the clampdown was a good thing. "You get harassed going up the street by people peddling drugs," he said.

 

A non-toking Nimbin local of 50 years still gets offered drugs in the street. Sorry oldboy, remove your dentures from your arsehole 'n put em back in your mouth. Your speaking shit, with that comment..

Edited May 4, 2008 by Indycar

[torture]

I hate cops, I hate cops guess what? I hate cops, Leave the m.j smokers alone, we are a non violent group of aussie who mind there own buisnesses and are usaully law abideing ,tax paying members of society........leave us alone....you wankers............spaceleaf...

 

 

This is where it concerns me. I think it's the fact that we don't get violent is the reason they are picking on everyone. They will prod and provoke until they cause a full blown riot. I think thats what they want. And if history is anything to go by, I personally think thats what the end result will be. The harder they prod and provoke, the harder everyone will start to stand up and fight.

 

Where does the line get drawn? How far is everyone willing to go? Stoners are generally a very friendly bunch, until the issues of prohibition and law enforcement come into it. Most of us a hard working, tax paying citizens and the simple fact is the time is eventually going to come when we won't stand for the persecution that is happening to us, but like I said history has showing us this usually only happens with violence.

 

Please don't think that this is what im condoning. Just my personal opinion, and i hope it doesn't because I personally don't want the label of violence been linked to cannabis, and thats the way the media will play it.

 

My 2 cents

[ConvexConepiece]

He also won't be the most popular resident in town, if he isn't already hated by most of the locals...

 

Typical sorta prick who would squeel to cops everything he sees going on. I mean fuck, if you dont smoke weed or can accept it, then WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU LIVE IN NIMBIN YOUR WHOLE LIFE??!!?!?!? someone go knock some sense into that dickwad!

[humphrey b flaubert]

I think they had look for a while to find someone opposed to the Mardi Grass if all they could find was some 71 year old who didn't like people trying to sell him drugs, you'll notice he didn't say which drugs he was being offered...Sounds like him and the festival organisors agree, people on the streets trying to sell speed is a bad thing.

The only people who seem to like the speed dealers are the cops, maybe it's because they get a cut of their business, but the people selling MJ don't give them any...

In the words of John Clarke, "I wouldn't mind if it weren't so bloody obvious"

[blackheartedprofit]

call me skeptical if you like, but personally i can't see some young dude, probably late teens early twenties, going up to a 70 fuckin year old codger, more than likely already known around town to be a whinging old bastard ( he claimed to have lived there for 50 years) and try to sell him drugs, is this fuckin bizarro world or what ?

[sunnycoaststoner]

hope all of our guys and gals down there are ok.....