Pubdate: Mon, 09 Mar 2015
Source: Northern News (CN ON)
Copyright: 2015 Northern News
Contact: http://www.northernnews.ca/letters
Website: http://www.northernnews.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2315
Author: Joe O'Grady
Page: A1

MORE POT PROTESTS POSSIBLE

KIRKLAND LAKE - Cannabis activist Dana Larsen says "much more 
serious" civil disobedience could be coming to Kirkland Lake if 
police opt to raid a local bong shop again.

Posting online in response to an opinion piece by Northern News 
senior reporter Rick Owen regarding last week's cannabis rally in 
Kirkland Lake, Larsen said the peaceful march may have been just the 
beginning of things to come.

"If the OPP decide to ignore our rally and try to raid The Tripping 
Daisy again, then I will be back to Kirkland Lake, and we will put on 
bigger, ongoing rallies and protests that will involve much more 
serious civil disobedience than smoking a few joints on the 
sidewalk," Larsen said in one post. "We're not going to back down on this."

Some 30 people joined Larsen during last week's march, which was 
organized to protest a February raid by police at the Tripping Daisy. 
The shop sells merchandise which can be used for the consumption of 
illegal substances. Shop owner Darren Delaney says police seized 
about $25,000 worth of merchandise and charged him

During the demonstration, some participants lit up marijuana joints 
in front of the Kirkland Lake OPP detachment. In his opinion piece 
Friday, Owen was critical of the protestors' decision to openly flout 
the law. Larsen, however, said the move was intentionally provocative.

"We use cannabis openly at our rallies because we are engaging in 
civil disobedience," Larsen posted. "In many Canadian cities, we 
celebrate our culture and resist government oppression with huge 
rallies on April 20 and other days special to the cannabis culture. 
Civil disobedience is a traditional tactic of oppressed minority 
groups around the world.

"It took people openly breaking the law to move forward on women's 
rights, on gay rights, on racial equality, and other important social 
issues. That is how change happens."

Larsen took exception to Owen's opinion that the demonstration was 
disrespectful to police and the community, since it involved openly 
and willingly breaking the law by consuming marijuana in front of the 
Kirkland Lake OPP detachment.

"Our protest was peaceful, safe and a wonderful expression of 
democracy," Larsen wrote. "We received many positive honks of support 
from passers-by. This reporter is getting hung up on our public 
protest, and not focusing on the real issue of police resources being 
wasted on harassing a local business that provides employment and 
pays taxes while serving the community."

The Ontario Provincial Police Organized Crime Unit which orchestrated 
the raid at the Tripping Daisy raid has yet to publicly comment on the incident.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom