THOUSANDS RALLY FOR LEGALIZED POT IN BRITISH CAPITAL

LONDON (AP) - Braving torrential rain, thousands gathered in a park in
London on Saturday to call for the legalization of marijuana. Organizers
estimated 30,000 people attended the Cannabis Freedom Festival in the
Brixton area of South London.

Participants heard speeches calling for the decriminalization of cannabis,
listened to bands from Europe, Africa and Brazil, absorbed the verses of
"poets for pot" and browsed stalls offering hemp ice cream, hemp clothing
and a cookbook entitled Cooking with Ganja.

There were no reports of arrests.

"We're very pleased with the turnout," festival co-ordinator Andy Cornwell
said.

"There's growing support from all walks of life."

On Friday, police said they would no longer charge people found in
possession of a small amount of marijuana in the South London district
where the rally took place.

Scotland Yard said officers would release users with a warning, rather than
taking them to a station to be charged, so police could concentrate on
arresting crack-cocaine dealers and violent offenders in the high-crime area.

If the pilot program is successful, it may be expanded to other areas of
London, Scotland Yard said.