PRO-CANNABIS PROTESTERS DESCEND ON PARLIAMENT

Police say there was no need for them to intervene when pro-cannabis
campaigners lit up on the grounds of Parliament during a protest rally.

Around 50 pro-cannabis campaigners descended on Parliament this
morning, openly smoking cannabis joints and pipes.

Senior Sergeant Scott Miller said police had acted in consultation
with the Speaker of the House, Lockwood Smith, and a decision had been
made to monitor the situation and act only if there was violence or an
attempt to breach the barricades.

"We had a good meeting with the leaders prior to the march; the police
role was basically to bring the protest from the park through town -
not interfering with the traffic and the public - through Parliament
where they were going to stay in the grass area. We were looking for a
nice peaceful morning which we had, which was good.

"I don't think it was a situation where we needed to arrest anyone.
The actions of the protesters were nice and peaceful; they were
orderly...there was no violence. Ours was a monitoring role and to
make sure they didn't come past the barriers. Eveything was good."

Organiser Dakta Green - who runs a cannabis cafe in Auckland and
legally changed his name from the less colourful Ken Morgan - said the
protest followed a three month nationwide tour which had collected
4300 signatures on a petition calling for cannabis law reform.

Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis party leader Michael Appleby said the fact
police had not moved against any of the protesters who were openly
smoking the drug showed how attitudes had changed compared to a
similar rally in 1996, when a dozen smokers were dragged away and arrested.

"Here, 15 years later, you can see that it's a peaceful demonstration
and the police just watch it. They acknowledge that it's a political
protest. I applaud their exercising of their discretion.