Subject: South Africa: Rastafarians Disrupt Court Proceedings



Pubdate: Fri, 14 Jan 2000



Source: Panafrican News Agency (PANA)







RASTAFARIANS DISRUPT COURT PROCEEDINGS



CAPE TOWN, South Africa (PANA) - Chaos broke out in the

Pietermaritzburg Magistrate's Court on Thursday afternoon, when a

group of rastafarians stripped naked, hurled abuse at court officials

and threatened to urinate in the court.



The group were dressed in plastic bags and blankets, and were carrying

marijuana plants which they said they were permitted to own.



According to the Natal Mercury newspaper, leader Peter Tosh, his wife

Mystic Tosh, and their children Jeffrey Tosh, Herbalist Tosh and

Prince Tosh had been charged for possessing marijuana which is a

criminal offence in South Africa.



The group earlier informed the magistrate that they rejected the

notion that marijuana is an illegal substance and demanded their release.



They demanded to be released and then jumped onto the seats in the

dock when court officials attempted to subdue them.



The children in the group were released but they refused to go home.

The case was postponed and the entire group is in custody.