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ENCOD BULLETIN ON DRUG POLICIES IN EUROPE Steffen Geyer EUROPEAN COALITION FOR JUST AND EFFECTIVE DRUG POLICIES (ENCOD) Monday 02 Sep 2013 Since 1997 the German hemp scene once a year gathers in Berlin to celebrate the "Hanfparade" (Hanf = Hemp = Cannabis) and demonstrate for the Legalization of Cannabis as natural resource, medicine and recreational drug. The Hanfparade 2013 took place on the 10th of August following the slogan "Meine Wahl? Hanf legal!" (My choice? Legal hemp!). At the end many of the at least 6500 participants thought Hanfparade 2013 was over a little to quick. With a colorful demonstration and a final rally much bigger then in previous years the attendees from all over Germany gave the slogan "Meine Wahl? Hanf legal!" face and voice. Some old stager of the German Legalize scene called it the best Hanfparade in 10 years. The success of the demonstration credit the organizers to the decentralized mobilization efforts, as Martin Steldinger CEO of the organizing JaKiS e.V. explains: "Although it takes place in Berlin Hanfparade is an legalize event owned by all German hempsters. Take for example the more then 40 promotional videos people from all over Germany made for the demonstration." It’s numbers like this 40 clips which infuse respect even into Hanfparade skeptics. Only a few people expected so much of everything of "Germanys biggest Pro-Hemp-Event". Five Live Bands, 15 trucks, 24 informational booths, 30 speakers and uncountable happy faces are the result of the longest cannabis march in the history of Berlin. The sheer length of the 7.5km way through the capital of Germany was one of the few critique points. Even with two in between stops in front of the central office of the conservative party (CDU) and the Bundesrat (house of states) helped a little but Hanfparade caused a lot of aching feets. Especially the last part of the demonstration was a little bit to fast and the organizers blaim the participants for this. "Because of a short time of rain the people started to walk faster and faster" Martin Steldinger explaines "When the guys on the front banner start to get cold the rest of the demonstration has to follow their tempo." Fortunately the rain stopped as fast as it started and nobody had to freeze at the final rally. Like in 2011 this final rally will be discussed in front of German courts because the police in Berlin banned several parts of it - especially all the hempfood and drinking booths. A judgment from only a few months ago was ignored by the assembly office of the Berlin police so the organizers have to sue civilly again. Because this kind of trouble always takes place in election years Martin Steldinger is seeing a political background for the decision. "As long as the conservative party is in charge of the ministry of interior you’ll need a lawyer to use you civil rights in Berlin. Especially if your goal is not within their believe system." Other demonstrations like the Cristopher Street Day or the unions march never had this kind of problems. "After 17 Hanfparades anyone in the organizational team believes this happens by chance." The next Hanfparade will take place on the 09th of August 2014. See you in Berlin! By NEWS FROM THE SECRETARIAT In the coming month, we will participate at the Cannabis Social Forum at the Growexpo in Irun, Spain http://www.encod.org/info/FORO-DE-LOS-CANNABIS-SOCIAL-CLUBS.html We are looking for Encod members who want to be responsible for feeding Encod with information on drug policy activism in their country, and vice versa. These ‘country correspondents’ will automatically become members of the Encod Inner Circle, which consists of at least one representative from each country. Please let us know before 9 September 2013 if you wish to be included in the Inner Circle Group. Joep Oomen, co-ordinator EUROPEAN COALITION FOR JUST AND EFFECTIVE DRUG POLICIES Lange Lozanastraat 14 – 2018 Antwerpen - Belgium Tel. + 32 (0)495 122644 E-mail: office@encod.org / www.encod.org http://www.encod.org/info/ENCOD-BULLETIN-103.html
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