Pubdate: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 Source: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (Canada) Copyright: 2001 CBC Contact: http://www.cbc.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1412 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) THOUSANDS RALLY FOR LEGALIZED POT IN BRITISH CAPITAL LONDON (AP) - Braving torrential rain, thousands gathered in a park in London on Saturday to call for the legalization of marijuana. Organizers estimated 30,000 people attended the Cannabis Freedom Festival in the Brixton area of South London. Participants heard speeches calling for the decriminalization of cannabis, listened to bands from Europe, Africa and Brazil, absorbed the verses of "poets for pot" and browsed stalls offering hemp ice cream, hemp clothing and a cookbook entitled Cooking with Ganja. There were no reports of arrests. "We're very pleased with the turnout," festival co-ordinator Andy Cornwell said. "There's growing support from all walks of life." On Friday, police said they would no longer charge people found in possession of a small amount of marijuana in the South London district where the rally took place. Scotland Yard said officers would release users with a warning, rather than taking them to a station to be charged, so police could concentrate on arresting crack-cocaine dealers and violent offenders in the high-crime area. If the pilot program is successful, it may be expanded to other areas of London, Scotland Yard said. - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager