FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 12/27/2013
PhillyNORML – www.phillynorml.org
EVENT: Smoke Down Prohibition XII: Saturday 12/28 from 3:00PM-4:45PM at 5th&Market Streets
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/1778979618909848/
Promo video: “Twas the Night Before Smoke Down” via The Panic Hour http://youtu.be/RGqK9uUHayE
Smoke Down Prohibition 12: Blaze of Glory
Philadelphia – Comedy activism crew The Panic Hour and local legalization group PhillyNORML return to celebrate a full year of protesting federal cannabis laws with Smoke Down Prohibition 12: Blaze of Glory.
Cannabis activists will gather at 5th&Market Streets at Independence Mall National Historic Park within sight of the Liberty Bell on Saturday December 28, 2013. An “open mic” begins at 3:15PM next to the First Amendment monument.
Some participants will take part in a “moment of cannabis reflection” at 4:20PM. The time is symbolic to many American cannabis consumers and marijuana joints are lit as a civil disobedience action.
The monthly protest events at Independence Mall National Historic Park were the only grassroots pressure on the federal government in 2013 appealing for national cannabis legalization.
More than 2,500 people have protested by consuming marijuana during Smoke Down Prohibition events since they began in December 2012. Thousands more have attended the regular rally.
Until May 2013 there were no citations or arrests at any of the 4:20PM “reflections.”
Comedian NA Poe of The Panic Hour was sentenced to one year of probation on Friday December 13, 2013 for his arrest during the Smoke Down Prohibition X marijuana legalization rally in May at Independence Hall National Historic Park. The US Attorney had requested three years of probation with a list of special restrictions.
Poe was tackled to the ground and jailed for six days in the Federal Detention Center after leading a countdown and lighting a joint as a civil disobedience action at 4:20PM . He has spent the past six months on pre-trial release with a special ban from the park.
Judge Henry Perkin ordered Poe to remain outside of the park during any event involving marijuana and civil disobedience but not on a casual, everyday basis. Judge Perkin did explain that he would not put any restrictions on Poe’s vocal advocacy or associating with fellow marijuana reform activists.
Political activists Chris Goldstein and Don Dezarn have had their trials postponed until January 23, 2014.
Goldstein and Dezarn are being put on trial by the Eastern District of Pennsylvania US Attorney after being cited at two separate protest events while keeping up the monthly cannabis action. Their trial begins on Thursday December 19th at 10:30AM. Both were cited in June and again in August after taking a few puffs of a single joint. They face the only federal trial for simple marijuana possession in recent memory.
There are more than 750,000 marijuana possession arrests each year but less than 5% of those possession arrests occur on federal property.
Aggressively prosecuting the pair may result in an interesting case surrounding marijuana and the First Amendment. The case may have an impact in Washington and Colorado where marijuana is now legal under state laws but authorities have vowed to doggedly enforce prohibition on federal land.
Dezarn is being represented by George Newman Esq. and Goldstein is represented by William Buckman Esq., both are renowned civil rights attorneys. Legal defense fund: http://www.gofundme.com/sdp420
PhillyNORML Co-Chair and US Marine Corp Veteran Mike Whiter represented himself in Federal Magistrate Court on 12/19 over his first cannabis citation and received a $175 fine from Judge Jacob Hart. Whiter is a strong advocate for cannabis as a treatment for PTSD and physical pain associated with military service.
Judge Hart said during the hearings “If marijuana legalization were put to a vote a majority of Americans would likely vote for it.”
Smoke Down Prohibition protests began as consistent, monthly gatherings in December 2012. The crowd assembles at an outdoor area of the park designated as “The People’s Plaza” within sight of the Liberty Bell, The Constitution Center, The First Presidential Mansion and Independence Hall. The hour-long events have always been publicly announced in advance.
The rally has been very consistent with forty-five minutes of speeches, music and comedy then fifteen minutes for a brief civil disobedience action.
Dozens of notable advocates have given spoken at SDP protests in 2013 including : PA gubernatorial candidate John Hanger, Retired Philadelphia Police Captain Ray Lewis, National NORML Board member Diane Fornbacher, Neill Franklin from Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), Jim Miller and Ken Wolski RN from the Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey (CMMNJ), registered NJ medical marijuana patients Jay Lassiter and Rowyn Capers, Pennsylvania hemp advocate Les Stark, NJ state legislature candidate Don DeZarn, activist Ed “NJWeedman” Forchion and many more.
On April 20, 2013 more than five-hundred people peacefully gathered for the rally; hundreds participated in civil disobedience and then easily disbursed. Video: http://youtu.be/twa9_7_a_c4
From December 2012 until April 2013 the National Park Service Rangers showed tolerance for the group and there were no arrests or citations.
Then on May 18, 2013 there was a sudden shift in law enforcement action against the assembly. More than one hundred National Park Service Rangers, Philadelphia Police, SEPTA Transit Police, US Fish & Wildlife Officers and heavily armed Department of Homeland Security Agents surrounded the event. The US Attorney (federal prosecutor) set up a processing tent and stationed Deputy US Attorneys on site. Dozens of participants were tackled to the ground and aggressively detained on 5/18 simply for the act of lighting marijuana joints. Video: http://youtu.be/LZxH_GozkY4
Undeterred by the encroachments and actions by law enforcement personnel the protesters bravely returned each month since. Participants showed a strong commitment to peaceful, non-violent action by continuing in a civil manner.
The massive, multi-agency police response to the small group of marijuana advocates has re-appeared in June, July, August, September, October and November. Approximately 30 citations have been issued since May by Park Rangers.
“We have sought change from the legislative branches of government for over seventy years,” said PhillyNORML Co-chair Chris Goldstein, “but ‘We the People’ need faster relief from these unjust laws. It is time to equalize freedom and legalize marijuana overall.”
CONTACT: Chris Goldstein 267 702 3731 chris@phillynorml.org or NA Poe napoe0@gmail.com 267 616 0828
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