PARK PROTEST PLANNED OVER CANNABIS LAWS

A DRUGS party is set to be held in an Essex park.

Called the Smokey Bear party, it is set to be a planned protest in
Central Park in Chelmsford on Saturday, September 8, in support of
legalising cannabis.

Essex Police today said they will monitor the event and enforce the
law if necessary.

The anonymous organisers have leafleted the area advertising the event
and one person who will be going is Don Barnard, a Braintree-based
long-standing campaigner for the legalisation of cannabis. He said:
"As far as I know, this is the first one to be held in Essex

The idea is for people to come along and have a good time. There is
nothing serious about it.

"I attended one in Portsmouth last month attended by about 250 to 300
people. People there did smoke cannabis and there were about five
arrests. It is up to the police what they do about it."

Mr Barnard added: "We don't condone breaking the law. I will be taking
some members of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance and we shall ask people
to sign up and get to know others from different parts of the country."

An Essex Police spokeswoman said they had received information the
event was going on.

She said the possession and supply of cannabis was against the law and
appropriate action would be taken.

She added: "We shall be watching the situation."