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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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Third raid on first UK coffeeshop, 7 arrested for cannabis possession
Dutch Experience Press Release
Friday 04 Jan 2002 Haarlem/Stockport, january 4, 2002. 7 people arrested for cannabis in Stockport, during raid on Dutch Experience coffeeshop. 400 people warned, not arrested for cannabis in London, under Lambeth experiment. These two announcements do not seem to go together, in a democracy, with equal rights for its citizens. Yet, this is the sad truth in the UK at the moment, the governments left hand takes a softer stance on cannabisuse, by running the Lambeth experiment in Brixton, London, the governments right hand puts the squeeze on cannabis users in Stockport, Greater Manchester, by arresting people for possession of small quantities of cannabis. Yesterday, January 3, 2002, at 3.00 am, the Stockport police came in to the Dutch Experience, to arrest a man, who was not allowed back on the premises of the DE, after a previous arrest for possession, on a previous raid on the place. He was present in the DE, ignoring the magistrates order to stay away from the premises, so he was taken away and locked up. The GMP came back a few hours later, with a warrant, and arrested about six other people in the DE for possession, one man was arrested for having the key to the premises, he did not possess cannabis at all. The last six people arrested have all been released now, Roo, the first arrest of that day, was released on bail this morning. The Dutch Experience was re-opened, again, after the police left the premises, as usual, the police have not been able to close the place for an entire day so far. Colin Davies, the initiator of the Dutch Experience, is still being held on remand in Strangeways prison, since November 20, without being convicted for a crime. This is in great contrast with the situation in Brixton, where the police do not arrest people for possessing and using cannabis, under the so-called Lambeth experiment, wich is considered succesfull. The experiment is extended with a period of two months, from January 1, 2002. This approach saves a lot of police effort, and a lot of money, for all the avoided court follow ups of cannabis arrests. Why is this display of common sense only applied in London, especially after finding out it seems to be an improvement of the old fashioned arrest-and-prosecute mode, for the better of police and public. Bearing this in mind, the ongoing arrests for cannabis possession around the Dutch Experience coffeeshop in Stockport looks like the GMP have their own rules and priorities, they do not want to make it easy for all involved. The Stockport's Magistrate Court is 'doing' cannabis every day, knowing full well that every case on possession, if the defendant pleads nor guilty, is going to cost the society about GBP 10.000.- for prosecution. The result will probably be a GBP 50.- fine, all convictions will be done after April, when cannabis turns to Class C. There must be a huge lack of communication between the various Chiefs of Police in the UK, in London they try to save effort and money, by not arresting cannabis offenders anymore, the Greater Manchester Police Force does not seem to realise this all. How long can this rape of equal rights and democracy go on, in a country that used to be the ultimate democracy, an example to the world, one time? How long can a government keep justifying these differences in treatment of their citizens, knowing the majority of the citizens wants cannabis possession and use decriminalised? I can only hope the press can get this issue the greatest attention, we can not rely on Justice and equal rights any longer. For more info on this subject : Nol van Schaik, Co-founder of the Dutch Experience. Founder of the Global Hempmuseum. Owner of 3 coffeeshops in Haarlem, Holland. Email : Tel : 0031651852545
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