Four arrested after Cannabis Day protest in Vancouver turns violent

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A Cannabis Day event in Vancouver has been marred by scuffles with police and a couple of arrests.

Bystanders say they witnessed officers descend on the gathering of about 100 people outside the Vancouver Art Gallery around noon before leading at least one man away in handcuffs.

Angry crowds followed the officers around the street corner where the man was loaded into a police van.

Vancouver police released a statement saying the man was overtly selling marijuana to young people and that he failed to stop after repeated warnings.

Police say officers were immediately confronted and swarmed and had to use pepper spray to complete the arrest.

Cannabis Day has taken place peacefully in downtown Vancouver for the past 20 years.

Pot enthusiast Jodie Emery says no one was doing anything wrong, “And the Vancouver Police moved in with pepper spray and assaults, and violently attacked activists at the protest and I’m shocked that taxpayer dollars are being wasted creating problems where we’ve never had problems before.”

“There’s certainly aggression when the police step forward with intimidation. Again, there have never been problems with this event and the police presence at last year’s Cannabis Day event was simply to work with us,” she says.

This year, the city did not grant a permit for the event.

The city sent Emery a cease-and-desist letter in late June asking that the protest be abandoned but organizers dismissed the warning and insisted the event would go ahead as planned.

Four people are in police custody and one faces potential trafficking charges. The other faces a charge of obstruction.

“The safety of everyone is always our priority” says Constable Brian Montague. “It is unfortunate there are some at this unsanctioned Cannabis Day event who do not feel that way.”

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