Families’ shock at drug day
CANNABIS campaigners defied the law yesterday by openly smoking the class-B drug in a Scottish park.
As scores of families enjoyed Easter Sunday and the warm weather, nearly 200 people attended a pro-drugs festival just a short distance away.
A group demanding that cannabis be legalised organised the protest rally which was staged in Glasgow Green.
Only eight uniformed police officers were deployed but maintained a low-key presence throughout the gathering, where the crowd listened to speakers and music.
But the softly-softly decision was criticised by family and Christian groups who insisted it showed blatant disregard for one of the main events on the religious calendar.
LYING back and enjoying a smoke in the park, they look like they are enjoying their Easter Sunday in their own way.
But look more closely and these relaxed visitors are flagrantly breaking the law – in plain sight of the police.
In mass criminal activity, these procannabis ‘campaigners’ spent Easter Sunday defying society by smoking the class B drug in a park popular with families.
As many as 200 people attended the rally, organised by a group campaigning to legalise cannabis – and many admitted to being in possession of the drug.
But during the whole afternoon, not a single offender was picked up by police – although five arrests for ‘minor offences’ were made later on – despite drug users brazenly lighting joints in front of police and families out enjoying the spring sunshine on Glasgow Green.
A handful of people were warned about their behaviour and several had their details taken and drugs confiscated.
But only eight uniformed officers maintained a low-key presence as the crowd listened to live music and procannabis speakers.
Police Scotland were sharply criticised by campaigners for family and Christian values. Eileen McCloy, a mother of ten and founder of the parents’ rights group Not With My Child, said: ‘The head of the police force in Scotland has facilitated a crime. I don’t think the event should have been allowed to go ahead –
‘It’s remarkable it was given the green light’
this would never have been allowed in areas of deprivation, like Provanmill, Royston or Govan. The police would not have tolerated it in those areas.
‘Somebody in charge has told them to go softly softly, and that person has facilitated a criminal activity.’
Scottish Conservative chief whip John Lamont said: It was inevitable that, in a festival of cannabis, there was going to be mass smoking which police couldn’t control. It’s remarkable it was ever given the green light to go ahead.’
The rally – dubbed a ‘Cannabis Carnival’ – was organised by the Glasgow Cannabis Social Club to coincide with similar events in London and Manchester.
It was held on Easter Sunday because ‘420’ is slang for cannabis and a trend has evolved in America and Canada for users to smoke the drug together on April 20.
Many of the crowd, mainly made up of people in their twenties, shared joints under the noses of the police.
Derek Anderson, 24, from Cumnock, Ayrshire, was searched and had a small quantity of cannabis seized by police. He said: ‘ The officer was all right, but he could have just said “Keep that out the road, pal”. I don’t think there was any need for the police to be right here.’
Organisers also criticised the ‘ ridiculous over-policing of a peaceful event’ on the Facebook page of the Glasgow Cannabis Social Club.
Dean Mackie, 23, from Dunfermline, Fife, was at the event with his 22-yearold girlfriend April Kane. The couple admitted to being cannabis users and Mr Mackie said: ‘It is amazing that the police are just saying to get on with it.’
Organiser Chris McKenzie, 24, said he is calling for cannabis to be grown in a controlled environment and sold by notfor-profit clubs. He added: ‘It’s great to see so many people show their support.’
A spokesman for Police Scotland said: ‘The event passed without incident.’ He later added that five arrests had been made, but could not say if they were drugs-related.