Pubdate: Mon, 11 Aug 2003
Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB)
Copyright: 2003 The Edmonton Journal
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134
Author: Derrick Penner

POLICE WANT POT CRUSADER BARRED FROM STATIONS

EDMONTON - Wearing a conservative blue suit, B.C. marijuana activist Marc 
Emery lit up a water pipe in front of Edmonton police headquarters Sunday 
afternoon and was promptly arrested.

The leader of the B.C. Marijuana Party contends possession laws no longer 
exist because of recent Ontario court decisions.

Before lighting up, Emery said the fact that people can be political and 
take action makes Canada "the greatest place on Earth."

Two Edmonton police constables stepped into the crowd and led Emery inside, 
to a chorus of boos and jeers from about three dozen supporters who decried 
the arrest as unconstitutional.

Federal Crown prosecutors have told Edmonton police that laws prohibiting 
marijuana possession are still in effect, said Insp. Dick Shantz. Officers 
charged Emery with a single count of pot possession.

Police also tried to stop Emery's campaign by asking that a Canadawide ban 
preventing him from going to police stations unless he has a legitimate 
complaint be made one condition of his release.

"We're getting tired of dealing with him," Shantz said. "He's tying up our 
manpower with his illegal crusade and we're not going to put up with it."

Others were also smoking marijuana but Shantz said no one else was arrested 
because police did not have the manpower.

Emery, publisher of the magazine Cannabis Culture, was arrested in Calgary 
on Saturday.

He was earlier arrested in Winnipeg, Regina, Moncton, N.B., and St. John's, 
Nfld. He was not arrested at stops this summer in Toronto and 
Charolettetown, P.E.I.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman