Free Weed...well sort of


On Saturday 4th of May several hundred people gathered in Whitworth Park to march into the centre of Manchester in support of the legalisation of cannabis and to call for the release of Colin Davies on one of the founders of the ‘Dutch Experience’ café in Stockport.
A relaxed and friendly atmosphere prevailed throughout the day accompanied by live samba music and DJs. In the early afternoon the crowd reclaimed a traffic lane and moved up Oxford Road picking up positive responses and people along the way.
The march was heavily policed with about a dozen cop vans, twenty or so police on horseback and others on foot, did they really think violence would errupt on a cannabis march?

As we neared the city centre police and stewards reminded us that is was illegal to drink alcohol within the city centre, anyone with a can of lager was told to dispose of it before we passed under the Mancunian Way flyover or be arrested. Strangely (and luckily) the cops didn’t seem so keen to enforce the law regarding smoking cannabis as the smell of weed wafted down Oxford Road with the crowd. Breaking the law and getting away with it is such fun!

After doing a loop around the city centre the demo continued down Princes Street back towards Whitworth Park. Music was played from the sound system, the police went away and left us to enjoy a pleasant afternoon in the park.
The Dutch Experience Cafe is still open in Stockport, visit their website at www.dutchexperience.org
Colin Davies is still in prison for possession of cannabis, send letters of support to HH 5239 HM Prisons Strangeways1, Southall Street, Manchestre m60 9ah