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Two pot-smoking protesters were arrested in Abbotsford yesterday after 200 people rallied for the legalization of marijuana. Tim Felger was sucking on a marijuana cigarette when two police officers approached him in the crowd. "You can arrest me, but you can't have my joint," yelled Felger as police forcibly escorted him to a police wagon at Mill Lake. Felger was standing in a circle with seven other pot smokers when the cops moved in. The other six hid their joints, but Felger defiantly puffed in front of the police. Police ignored the covert smokers but were forced to arrest Felger, Const. Dale Cresswell said. "I think we were very tolerant," Cresswell said. "We had no choice but to arrest him. It's illegal to be in possession of marijuana. We don't make the laws, we enforce them." Abbotsford police sent more than 12 officers to the protest. A couple who owned a dog shot by police two weeks ago at their child's birthday party were among those who came to smoke pot at the protest. Jason Rowsom and Sandra Marshall said they're sick of marijuana being the target of police raids. "If God says it's OK to smoke pot, then it's OK," said Marshall. "It's right in the Bible that Jesus did it. Why can't we?" After the arrests, the protesters began to trickle away. "Arresting those guys put a real downer on this whole thing," said Tom Luger, 18. Charged with possession of marijuana is Tim Felger. Charged with obstruction of justice is David Malmo-Levine. Copyright The Province, Vancouver 1999 In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 and The Berne Convention on Literary and Artistic Works, Article 10, news clippings are made available without profit for research and educational purposes. |
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