 | Pot Culture: J Day Sat 7 May |
 International J Day this year was celebrated in Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin, plus 200 cities in 37 countries around the world.
Auckland: at the "420" box, cnr Albert Park and Victoria St East, 4:20pm. Wellington: Aro Park, High Noon. Christchurch: Cathedral Square, high noon to 4:20pm. Dunedin: The Octagon, high noon to 4:20pm.
Read More for local J Day reports, photos and links...
Reports, photos and movies from other J Days:
J Day 2003 |
J Day 2002 |
J Day 2001 |
J Day 2001 - Growers Iron Man |
J Day 2000 | J Day 1999.
Please leave a comment below about your J Day 2005 experiences.
LOCAL J DAY REPORTS
Auckland
We held a sucessful J Day 4:20 smoke-in at The Hempstore's "420 Box" by Albert Park. About 60 or 70 people turned up, including some from out of town and some tourists. A NORML banner was proudly displayed, and leaflets handed out. Someone brought along a gas stove and spotting knives to huge cheers from the crowd. It turned into quite a big session, with cars driving by "tooting for support".
A couple of police cars drove by with the drivers looking puzzled. Eventually two friendly-looking uniformed cops on foot came down from Albert Park. I intercepted them and asked how I could help. Luckily it was just as there was a lull in the spots, and there didn't happen to be any joints burning at that moment. They said they were looking for someone - who wasn't with us. The UK-import cop did all the talking, saying "Don't worry, we're not here for you guys, we respect your protest and we'll leave you to it". They walked off, and we got back to it...
There was some talk among the participants of making this a regular 4:20 smoke in every Saturday afternoon - sounds good to us!
Wellington
Around 20 people turn up at Aro Park for J Day. Someone had kindly brought along a stove and knives, and we had a great time in front of Frank, the TV3 News cameraman:
Hell pizzas supplied munchies, including a custom vegan pizza:
Motueka
To celebrate International J Day, cannabis law reform supporters held a mellow potnik in Motueka. A beautiful ‘stop the arrests' banner was hung next to the Bunya Bunya tree on the main street for a couple of hours and civil rights/law reform information was
distributed. At 4.2O the joints came out, and we
smoked with passers by.
The potnik attracted interesting responses, ranging
from disbelief to big grins, and toots from
motorists. We got a little reaction and stimulated
some debate. We also got to smoke some nice buds with some nice people in the sun. no big deal. Just the way it should be.
Cannabis prohibition doesn’t reflect prevailing
social attitudes towards cannabis in the West Coast
Tasman Electorate, so we commend local MP Damien OConnor for recently pointing out the flaws in the current cannabis policy. We hope he will support moves to put these observations into action in the next parliamentary term.
Labour MP Damien O’Connor on cannabis prohibition: “Take Marijuana; it's illegal, so there are no outlets, there's no advertising, there's no legal purchase age and there's no taxation. Do these controls stop people smoking cannabis? No. Do they reduce the harm? No. Do they eliminate the wider problems of cannabis in our society? No.” *
Christchurch
by mildgreens
The Global Marijuana Day went down a treat here in Christchurch New Zealand. (its our tenth ''J-Day'' .. so there is a bit of a history to it...)
The event went ahead right next to the city central POLICE kiosk where for more than five hours - police came and went going about there daily business not 20mtres from hundreds of people participating in ''illegal activities''.
The central city has a 100% alcohol ban that were any or all imbibing in fermented liquors there would have been with the ''full force of law'' arrests and confiscations.....
On this occassion the Police didnt even bother to ''look in'' - its making it difficult to get mainstream attention (grin)
Photos at http://mildgreens.com/mmm2005.htm
The audience was mighty impressed with some of the international work being done, as well as heard from Member of Parliament and others such as Larry Ross, internationaly recognised peace activist, Deputy Leader of the worlds first single issue cannabis reform political party - Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party''s Micheal Britnell and more.
The MC was able to intersperse a lot of information that otherwise never gets said (or reported). The feedback in this regard was the "how come we never hear about this in mainstream media..." - of course the lesson here is ''bloody well ask them.... ring the editor, better still write!"
Sometimes basic activism is just a question of mobilising people to express interest.
Huge support was shown for Schapelle Corby, facing the ''bullet'' in Indonesia for 4.1 kg of pot. (unlikely to have been hers) Notably, at an estimated 200 tonnes per annum consumption in New Zealand, that would take about 1 minute to consume. We would have to take someone out and shoot them at a rate of one per minute. The last country known to attempt this was Thailand... at more than 2400 in 90 days. We. well Helen Clark of course, signed a free-trade agreement with that lot just last week. What are we thinking?
All in all a wonderfuly succesful day and a fitting contribution to all the MMM events globally.
Dunedin
International J Day kicked off a whole "Weed Week.
NORML IN TALKS WITH POLICE
Otago Daily Times, Wed, 4th May
J Day Plans Uncertain
Dunedin police are yet to decide what action they will take if cannabis
smokers play their "silly games" and gather in the police station to flout
the law this J Day. International J Day has in past years seen Dunedin
members and supporters of Norml -- a group formed to pressure government
into legalising or regulating cannabis -- openly smoking cannabis and
protesting the law at concerts in the Octagon.
For the past two years, the concerts have been followed by a march to the
Dunedin Central Police Station where hundreds of people have openly smoked
cannabis in the foyer and on the police grounds.
No arrests have been made. Yesterday, Norml vice-president Simon Wallace
said the group was in talks with police and it had not yet been decided
whether the march would happen after this year's protest on Saturday.
"We don't do it to mock the police. We do it to highlight the hypocrisy of
the way the law is at the moment." Dunedin area controller Inspector Dave
Campbell said police had not yet decided what action would be taken if the
march went ahead.
"The usual routine is that just to add to their enjoyment, they finish the
march at the police station and see if they can provoke the police." There
were two reasons police had not arrested anyone in the past, he said.
"One issue is that they are playing stupid games. They're trying to provoke
the police into action and they're trying to make a political statement. We
don't want to buy into that.
"The other thing is that dealing with them in that manner would tie up our
staff who are better off out doing other things. We have more important
things to do than play their games and take part in their juvenile
activities." J Day starts Weed Week, which includes debates, concerts,
movies and parties.
CANNABIS PROTEST STAYS PUT
Otago Daily Times, Mon, 9th May
J Day protesters in Dunedin did not take their protest against cannabis
prohibition to the city's central police station this year.
Instead, about 120 supporters and members of NORML -- a group formed to
pressure the Government into legalising or regulating cannabis -- kept
their protest to the lower Octagon, where a free concert took place.
For the past two years, the concerts have been followed by a march to the
Dunedin Central Police Station, where people have openly smoked cannabis in
the foyer and on the police ground. Senior Sergeant Bruce Ross said
yesterday the protesters did not approach the station or cause any problems.
Dunedin NORML president Abe Gray said as the bands did not wind up until
about 5pm it was decided it was not pertinent to march to the police station.
International J Day Reports:
http://gallery.marihemp.com/mmm2005
http://www.cannabisculture.com/march
http://www.geocities.com/tents444/mmm2005map.htm
Event details
Auckland: International J Day will be recognised in Auckland at the '4:20 Box' at the Victoria St East entrance to Albert Park, just up from The Hempstore. Be there at 4:20pm - bring your buddies and banners and placards. The 4:20 Box is a new piece of public street art commissioned by The Hempstore, turning an unattractive traffic light control box, on the corner of Albert Park, Victoria St East and Kitchener St, into a stunning work of surreal art complete with 4:20 themes and references. J Day supporters can also ask at The Hempstore for their special J Day deals.
Wellington: Aro Park, high noon. Wellington opponents of cannabis prohibition are cordially invited to recognise J Day, this Saturday 7 May, at high noon, in Aro Park. Bring your banners, musical instruments, placards. and don't forget your buddies.
Christchurch: meet at Cathedral Square, high noon to 4:20pm. Speakers will include MP Tim Barnett, Derek Mc Cullough from the Unitarian Church, Larry Ross from Nuclear Free Peacemaking Assoc, NORML, ALCP, Mild Greens and Green Party spokespeople. Music includes Gideon Trio, and a special prayer will be held for Shapelle Corby, facing life in an Indonedsian prison after being "framed" with marijuana in her luggage.
Dunedin: The Octagon, high noon to 4:20pm. International J Day will kick off a "Weed Week" in Dunedin, with other events including a movie night, cannabis cup, workshops, and ending with a community forum before the Katchafire concert the following weekend. Come to J Day to show your support and get more details about the Weed Week festivities, or email dunedin@norml.org.nz
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