« Summer Cannabis Contests! | Main | VI Voices Footage online »
DEA Banner Protest outside US Embassy
By Hempology | June 10, 2002
By FlashGordon
Submitted 2002.06.07
Flash arrived early at 11 am to Pot-tv studios to help with the prepartions for the anti-DEA
banner protest outside the US Consulate at 1095 w Pender in Vancouver BC Canada. There he met
up with David Levine rushing out to get rope and tape, and Chris Bennet at the controls of
Pot-tv posting the Tokers Bowl 2002 Video with just time for a safety meeting. Dave wanted
Flash and his friend Lazy Dragon to take old uncle Scam ,the shopping cart effigy, up and down
Granville on its way to the Embassy and to offer out leaflets informing people of the presence
of the American Drug Enforcement Agency in Canada and 85 other countries pushing their drug war.
The favorable reception from all walks of life on Granville was invigorating and Uncle Scam was
cheered on his way as old and young alike accepted the information on the DEA presence and most
were surprized and outraged about it as Canadians.
When they reached the Consulate about noon Dave was already preparing the banners to be strung
up by the lamposts outside the Consulate and there was a gang of vancouver bike cops chating with
the RCMP embassy guards. Flash went up to them and offered them his pamphlets. The lady bike cop
said she would read it to her partner in case it had any big words. The RCMP recoginised Flash
from last year and seemed genuinely glad to see him and reassured by Davids insistance that the
demonstration would remain peacefull.
The Security guards for the adjacent building seemed more preturbed and insisted they move their
activities, including pot smoking, to the side walk and not use their “private courtyard” between
the two buildings. Paul Hughes had brought a pound of some shwagg that he found volunteers to roll
and hand out.
It was more appropriate to protest directly infront of the Consulate doors any how and an easy
compromise to make although one of the group was non -plused to be ticketed by an over eagar
Vancouver bike cop for “riding on the sidewalk”.
A large group of young hempsters from The Gathering Place were next to join the brigade and added
a fair bit of colour and exuberance to the gathering. Drug war refugee Ken Hayes turned up with his
toddler daughter who cheered them on like a mascot folding and handing out flyers at the age of
maybe 4. His fellow American drug war refugee friend Michelle Kubby showed up with the Pot-tv news
camera and filmed the antics. She was even generous enough to share a “kubby sized” doobie.
A bike courier stopped he told Flash how he hated making deliverys to the american consulate
he showed flash a quarter oz he had in his saddle bag that he takes in everywhere. He says he
never declares it going into the American consulate but always tells them he has it on the way out.
When he came back out of the consulate this time he handed out primo fresh nugs to all the banner
protest volunters before he completed his rounds. No one made a speach but the protesters got to
pick David Levine and Chris Bennets brains on the drug war and there was plenty of time to make
friends and exchange emails. A saxaphone player joined late and soothed them with tunes.
The bevy of bike cops soon dispersed and RCMP consulate guards went inside for coffee to leave
them to their peacefull devices. There could have been more media next time they will prep more
with press releases.
Next friday between 4 and 5:30pm they planned would be best to follow up with a picketing.
It was a job but after bringing back the banners and packing everyone into the tiny Pot tv
studio where Marc Emery and Dana Larsen were for a 4:20 hot box with huge bombers but they
managed to get to see a private showing of the Tokers Bowl Video.
Stop the militarization of a medical issue and the criminalization of the chronically sick,
terminally ill and chemically dependant.
Topics: Articles | Comments Off
Comments are closed.