 | NORML News: J Day report - Saturday 5th May 2007 |
 NORML proudly presented International J Day, also known as the Million Marijuana March in over 200 cities around the world, on Saturday 5th May 2007.
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J Day is a protest against cannabis prohibition and celebration of Aotearoa's cannabis culture. This year we campaigned in support of the Green's medical marijuana bill that is before parliament, and called on medical patients to come to J Day to demonstrate their support.
While police kept away from most events, protesters in Christchurch and Motueka faced harassment.
Auckland - at Albert Park
BY CHRIS FOWLIE
Day went off in Auckland this year, with a sizeable
crowd at Albert Park showing their support for law reform. A really generous donation from a member enabled us to pay for the portaloos, security
guards and cleaning services that are needed to book Albert Park. It’s not easy raising these funds and we really appreciate the donation.
We got a huge turnout
- about 2000 people over the
day - with supporters in every
nook and cranny of Albert
Park. The NORML CannaBus
made an appearance and
looked great in the park. We
also had a vintage fire engine
on stand-by but it wasn’t
needed as all “fi res” were very
small and could eventually be
put out by smoking them.
Big thanks to our sponsors
The Hempstore, London
Underground and Cannabis
Culture magazine; bfm for
promoting J Day; Tim and
Nigel for donating the PA; the
volunteers who helped set up,
pack down, run the stall and
sausage sizzle, the crew who
laid on the spots, to Pauly for
entertaining us with juggling
and fire tricks; and to the dope
DJs: Sparx, Sensei, Selecto,
Matty Dread, Double-O Afro
and Tommy Flowers, and of
course to everyone who came
along. It was a great day.
Auckland Friday 4:20 Sessions
For almost two years a good
old fashioned smoke-in has
been happening at 4:20pm
every Friday at the Victoria St
entrance to Albert Park. Come
along and show your support.
For more info see the Albert
Park thread in the forums
Hamilton - Cnr Victoria St & Bridge St
BY MAX COYLE
We would really love to thank everyone that came
down to the park and hung out, this year was thrown together at the last minute but we hoped
everyone who came had a good time and met some like minded people and a few new smoking
buddies. Thanks to the Rotunda dwellers for sharing their home with us for a day and the cops for turning up at 4:20 but not coming into the park. Looking forward to next year being a much bigger
success so if anyone’s keen to help out they would be greatly appreciated in any capacity, please email hamilton AT norml DOT org DOT nz
Wellington at Central Park, Brooklyn.
BY WILL DE CLEENE
Wellington celebrated J
day this year at Central
Park in Brooklyn. Around 200
people throughout the day,
from as far afield as Palmerston
North and England, enjoyed the
irie tunes of 5:16, Narcosia,
Tough Love, Xhale, Espionage
and Psychedelic Jellyfish. We
were honoured to have Green
MP Metiria Turei for the
afternoon, as well as Aotearoa
Legalise Cannabis Party leader and
Wellington Council candidate
Michael Appleby. Both spoke
eloquently in support of
the international cause for
recognition of cannabis as our
medicinal ally. A big thumbs up to Isa for putting it together!
Motueka police arrest protester
for tobacco cigarette
By TARA FORDE and ELANOR STEDMAN
Following a confrontational year in which Motueka police continued to arrest innocent people for cannabis, Motueka NORML decided to hold a public event. Instead of being isolated victims of prohibition we could show that we are united in freedom.
Motueka is a small town,
ya know? We were armed
with a huge banner, a large
ALCP “Snakes in the grass”
game, and a stall table.
After being offered trespass
notices by the police and the
vicar of the church where
we had set up, we walked
the banner round town, to
many honks and tokes, and
finally settled in a more
central (and vacant) space.
Set up for the afternoon,
we had numerous medical
marijuana users pass by
and discuss the upcoming
bill, as well as support from
local tokers who were sick
of the police invasion into
their life. Informative and
fun so far!
We settled in for a cruisy
4:20, but at 4:36 cop cars
pull up. Too Late! We
remained nonplussed and
chilled out. However, they
marched right up to us.
One woman had a thorough
examination (both smell
and sight) of her cigarette.
The police didn’t want to be
made fools of, and arrested
Elanor Stedman without
examining her cigarette.
We packed up to hold
a vigil outside the police
station, which was highly
effective and much better
for passing cars to toot
support. Big Ups to the
dude that drove by waving
a bong!
Elanor was charged and
released and a few days
afterwards was told the
charge had been dropped.
An official complaint has
been made. Complainants
recently met with District
Commander Brian McGurk
to discuss their concerns
regarding civil liberties
and police’s (in)ability to
identify marijuana.
When will New Zealand
wake up and change these
arcane imported laws? It is
wasting citizens, police and
court time.
Christchurch - Police show intolerance
By BRANDON HUTCHISON
J-Day in Christchurch was not quite the laid
back affair that it has usually been. The
organisers experienced obstruction by the City
Council, and the police actively harassed some
participants on the day. A formal request to the
Council to use Cathedral square was declined,
which effectively limited the protest to the
area around “speakers corner” and prevented
setting up stalls. However, a vigorous antiprohibition protest was still held in front of
the Cathedral, and there was a consistent
crowd of more than 200 people listening to
the various speakers.
Shortly after midday, a small police presence
was apparent in the square and soon six of them
descended on a group of teens out of sight of
the main protest. Paula, a NORML board
member, approached this group and spoke
to two of the teens standing to one side. They
said they had been searched but nothing was
found. A policeman raced over and threatened
Paula with arrest for obstruction if she didn’t
move away. Shortly after, the police attempted
a repeat of this behavior by removing a youth
from the crowd and attempting to search him.
This search was thwarted by the intervention
of Blair and Janni who insisted that
in the situation, the guy needed an adult
advocate.
After photographing this incident,
I was approached and questioned by another
policeman who claimed that photographing
police carrying out duties in public was
breaching their privacy. It appears that, while
happy to carry out seemingly random searches
of members of the public, in a very public
place, some police don’t want there to be
public scrutiny of this.
After the speakers from ALCP, NORML,
Mild Greens and others had finished, the
protest reassembled two blocks away in
Latimer Square for a relaxed festive afternoon.
Two policemen observed from a distance and
apart from seizing a pipe from one person,
they generally did not interfere.
Afterthoughts on J-Day
Later that day, a tragedy occurred outside
a party in Edgeware road, Christchurch. The
story is now well known. Much discussion
has been had in the media and the community
about this incident particularly focusing
on the behaviour, attitudes and values of
teenagers. Leaving aside issues of alcohol,
crowd dynamics, cars and youth, and focusing
on teen’s view of police, is it any wonder
that there is a significant minority who view
the police as an enemy? With their open
harassment of several teens on J-day, the
police have willingly made several more
enemies, and for no good reason. Repeat this
every day over the years, and the police have
created a serious problem for themselves and
society. Police should focus on genuine crime,
that is those acts which directly hurt people,
which drug offences generally do not, and
they should respect all minorities. Respecting
diversity means more than signing up a couple
of cops of Chinese ethnicity, or inviting the
local Pacific island leaders down to police HQ
for a tour. If we stopped the drug war, a large
minority may begin to feel genuine respect
for the police again, and our society will
be happier and safer. There would be fewer
Edgeware road style tragedies.
Dunedin at The Octagon
BY ABE GRAY
This year’s J-day in Dunedin
was the largest in recent
memory, with about 350-500
people in the Octagon at the
height of festivities and well
over 1000 total attendees
throughout the day. It was a
beautiful sunny day and much
enjoyment was had by all
listening to the laid back tunes
provided by our volunteer DJs.
We also had a game-show style
prize giveaway, with prizes
kindly donated by local smoke
shops. It was a great opportunity
for cannabis users in Dunedin
to get to know each other and
share a smoke in a safe place
without fear of persecution.
Friday 4:20
Due to the success of this
year’s and past J-days, a safe,
social smoking meet-up now
occurs weekly, every Friday
at 4:20, on the Union Lawn at
the University. Students welcome.
Want to come to next year's J Day?
Everyone aged over 18 is welcome to come along and show their support. If you haven't been before, it's a good idea to check out our civil rights page and also read up about previous J Day's first...
Big thanks to The Hempstore, Cannabis Culture magazine, and the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party
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