Metre Long Joint To Mark 2 Years Of Struggle Again

[garywmeyerhoff]

The lighting of a 1 metre joint will mark the 2nd birthday of the Network Against Prohibition (NAP) in Darwin tomorrow.

 

For 2 years, community members have campaigned against the NT Labor Government’s “drug house” laws that allow Northern Territory police to:

 

 Signpost a home or business with a 1.2 metre high flourescent green sign

 Raid the home or business without a warrant whenever they want

 Charge everyone present at the home or business with the possession of an illicit drug found at the premises

 Use restraining orders to “ban” people from the home or business

 Do cavity searches on people present at the home or business

 Stop and question anyone within 200 metres of the home or business

 

A home or business can be declared a “drug house” if police have found drugs on the premises 3 times in one year or if the commissioner of police reasonably believes that a home or business is being used to sell currently illicit drugs.

 

An application to declare the home or business as a “drug house” is made by police in the Magistrate’s court. The police only need to prove on the “balance of probabilities” that the home or business is being used to sell drugs. They do not have to prove beyond reasonable doubt.

 

The police do not need to have any convictions before a home or business is declared a “drug premises”.

 

Since March 2002, the NT community has waged a campaign against the “drug house” legislation and zero tolerance attitudes that have been adopted by the NT Labor Government. NAP formed as a response to the NT labor parties draconian legislation and the network has facilitated ongoing demonstrations to highlight the human rights abuses faced by users of currently illicit drugs in the Northern Territory.

 

NAP spokesperson Gary Meyerhoff said “the NT community is united in opposition to Labor’s NAZI drug legislation. The NT Government is so concerned about the NAP campaign that they have instructed the NT police to intimidate and harass NAP members.”

 

NT police have attacked peaceful demonstrators at 2 community smoke-ins and have laid over a hundred criminal charges against NAP members for participation in drug law reform demonstrations. Five members of the network still face jail for peacefully entering the NT Legislative Assembly as the drug laws were debated in May 2002.

 

Meyerhoff said “due to the insidious level of corruption within the NT police, government and public service, NAP’s loud and vocal campaign for drug law reform is a sensitive area for the local elite.”

 

This will be the 16th Community Smoke-in for Human Rights held since the election of the Labor Government in the Northern Territory in 2001. The event, held at Darwin’s Raintree park, kicks off at 12noon, and will feature a range of speakers, a free bbq and some live music.

 

NAP will also be making an announcement about their campaign for a “Prohibition-free” City of Darwin in the local government elections in May.

 

For more information ring 0415 16 2525 (61 415 16 2525 from overseas) or see http://www.napnt.org

[Brash]

Wow,

 

You guys have raised the ire of Drug Free Australia's Michael D Robinson. His press release is below -

 

Media comment 12/3/2004

 

Drug Free Australia urges police to act to uphold the law in the face of a blatant dopey protest!

 

If there is federally prohibited drugs present its significantly a federal law enforcement matter, requiring territory and federal action.

 

A metre long “joint” should be hard to miss, there is no lawful excuse for police to allow this to proceed, they are responsible to enforce the law and not allow this sort of breach if illicit drugs are present the police are required under the relevant legislative arrangements to act to uphold and enforce the law, and to protect the community.

 

I find it in poor taste that such a lobby group flagrantly and continually breaches the law, and shows no regard for the dangers of cannabis to the public health.

 

Michael D. Robinson        for more information or an interview contact Michael on 0414 719 742 after 7pm Friday or over the weekend.

Executive Director

Drug Free Australia Ltd.

 

Email: info@drugfreeaustralia.org.au 

  - or -  drugfree@optusnet.com.au

 

Website :  drug obsessed fanatics . com

 

Address all correspondence to:

PO Box H135

Hurlstone Park NSW 2193

 

Other contact numbers:

Mobile 0414 719 742

Ph  02 9591 8850

Fax 02 9789 0080

 

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Lobbying for prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of drug abuse.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

 

I'm sure Michael would welcome comments and maybe even debate on his stance on this issue, he provided all his contact details, so drop him a line or give him a call.

[white_cluster]

What are you using for rolling paper????

Some uncut sheets straight from the Rizla company would go nice.

 

As for Micheal D Robinson, what a fucking idiot, firstly the link in his press release takes you to the site of some computer company until you remove the double http from the start, and once you actually get to his shitty site the page hardly even works and none of his articles can hardly be read.

Maybe the site would work better if I wasnt on drugs. Anyway he'll get some of the reknowned cluster-abuse, I havent abused people for a while now, need to get my insult thesaurus back out though.

 

Even the NAP's site seemed more intelligent and friendly, even though they both inspire the same thing for general public, a deeper hatred of marijuana users. Are you still doing the lovely pics of policeman about to be attacked with syringes???

Anyway have good fun smoking your big joint, I hope its gonna be a decent fat one, need to be at least an inch or inch and a half i think, not just a skinny joint thats a metre long but cant support itself. take care.

Edited March 15, 2004 by white_cluster

[Guest]

They attacked police with syringes! You're kidding. Thats exactly the kind of bad press I was talking about in another thread. Sure it gets attention but it only feeds the publics fear of the unknown when daft things like that take place. Convinces everyone we are all fruitcakes. Destroys everything NORML and others have been trying to achieve for 70 years. You might as well start reprinting all those crappy newspaper articles about Marijuana the Assasin of Youth. A serious movement has got to have serious members leading it or else the opposition will just attack the weakest link. Thats the biggest problem I think.

[Luke Skywalker]

No, they didn't attack anyone with syringes. WC is alluding to a discussion about the NAP's logo, when one of their members first posted here.

 

The biggest problem is that people aren't totally outraged at the loss of their civil rights. They don't realise that it will affect them severely, and not just the "bad people".

 

Goverments are of, by and for the people. Not to.

[Chev]

Holy............... I had no idea the law was so severe in the NT, that's rooted.

I'm sure Michael would welcome comments and maybe even debate on his stance on this issue, he provided all his contact details, so drop him a line or give him a call.

I'd like to, except none of the MJ links on his site work. What a crock of shit anyway, IMO. I do like this though:

"....The latest evidence strengthens, not weakens, the case againt legalisation of cannabis ...."

 

The Hon. Bob Carr MP NSW Premier

 

Hansard Extract 21.5.2003

What fucking evidence???

Anyway he'll get some of the reknowned cluster-abuse, I havent abused people for a while now, need to get my insult thesaurus back out though.

:: please do.........

 

Good luck with your joint boys, hope all goes well

Edited March 17, 2004 by Chev

[garywmeyerhoff]

Just so people know, the smoke-in went really well, we had a small crowd but not bad for the first one of the year.

 

ABC TV came and gave us some really good coverage on the news - pushing our angle that we will continue the campaign against the drug house laws depaite police harassment and intimidation.

 

The coppers did come, after they got an anonymous tipoff that people were smoking joints in raintree park - but they didn't stay long - they know they have no community support - but we do!!!!!!!!!

 

next smoke-in is on 8th may in raintree as usual - 12 noon start - hope you can make it.

[bongenon420]

next smoke-in is on 8th may in raintree as usual - 12 noon start - hope you can make it.

anonymous tip eh ?

maybe dont mention things so specific