From: "wachtel"

Subject: RE: MMM 2004 #31: Even More Reports from Nimbin, Tel Aviv, Moscow, NYC, Missoula, Phoenix, Eugene..
Date: Sun, 9 May 2004 11:39:44 +0200

Dear Friends

 

The Tel Aviv police busted the 7th annual Marijuana Liberation Picnic, attended by over 3000 people and arrested 32 people for smoking joints and for organizing the event. Boaz Wachtel, chairman of the green leaf party was arrested with other activists. All were released after few hours of investigation at a police station. It is not clear yet if charges will be filed. Wachtel was charged with "organizing a drug party and with running a business without a license". A few people were arrested while signing a petition for medical cannabis, among them a krone's desease patiant who was held for 5 hours at a police station.One activist, the elected head of the green leaf party chapter at Hebrew University was beaten at the police station.

This is the first time that the police closed the picnic. A few days before, a petition to prevent the picnic was filed in the supreme court by a prohibitionist organization. The supreme court rejected the petition on the grounds that it was filed too late, and added that the police will do what necessary to maintain law and order.

We have received a huge media attention due to the supreme court petition and the closing of the picnic.The green Leaf party ofcourse will continue to fight for civil liberties and the abolition of the cannabis laws and for the implementation of harm reduction policies in Israel.

 

The Green Leaf Party,

Israel

 

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