POLICE SWOOP ON POT CAFE ENDS WITH SIX ARRESTS

VANCOUVER -- Two dozen Vancouver police officers arrested six people
Thursday afternoon in a raid on a busy Commercial Drive cafe that openly
sold marijuana.

Vancouver police spokeswoman Const. Sarah Bloor said the six arrested inside
Da Kine cafe face charges of trafficking a controlled substance.

Outside, some in a crowd of over 200 people taunted police officers who
blocked Commercial between Parker and Napier streets about 6 p.m., stopping
business at about 20 shops.

The crowd cheered as Peg General Store played Bob Marley's songs Get Up,
Stand Up, and I Shot the Sheriff, while others smoked marijuana.

Police said they executed a search warrant at Da Kine in response to
complaints by community residents, including Britannia secondary school and
the Grandview Woodland Community Policing Centre.

Bloor said police acted because Da Kine has "been very blatant" about
selling marijuana over the counter.

"It was obvious they made this a public event by flaunting their activity,"
Bloor said.

She said the police action was "not to react to politicians. This is a
criminal activity."

Thursday's raid came the day after B.C. Solicitor General Rich Coleman said
it was unacceptable for marijuana to be openly sold in Vancouver stores
while city politicians take a "ho-hum attitude" to the illegal activity.
Coleman does not direct police operations or investigations, but said
Wednesday he was confident the law would be enforced.

When asked about the protests by Da Kine supporters, Bloor said: "There's
overwhelming support by other neighbourhoods" for the police action.

Bloor said police were still gathering evidence in the cafe Thursday night.
She did not say whether police would raid other shops on Commercial Drive
and Hastings Street that are also believed to be selling marijuana. Across
the street from Da Kine, The Spirit Within shop was closed.

People in the crowd chanted: "We support Da Kine." Others mocked the police,
yelling: "It only took four months to figure it out," referring to Da
Kine's' spring opening.