WEAPONS AT RALLY

Man Arrested At Pro-Pot Gathering

A peaceful pot protest at the Old City Hall courthouse got off to a rocky
start yesterday as police arrested a man armed with swords and knives.

Just before a pro-marijuana demonstration began yesterday morning, Toronto
Police officers -- some with guns drawn -- seized two swords and a knife
from a man at the rally.

"I bought them as gifts," said the man, who identified himself to police as
Brian Hayes.

"You pointed your gun at me," he said to one of the arresting officers
before being taken away in handcuffs to face weapons charges.

The man had been standing on the steps of Old City Hall with two swords
strapped on his back. Police also took a hunting knife in a sheath from him.

Pot demonstrators said Hayes was not part of the rally.

"He showed up before with a joint in his mouth and ninja knives on his
back," said Steven Bacon, a federally exempt pot user.

Centre Closure

About 70 people gathered to support the Senate's recommendation to legalize
marijuana and to protest the closure of the Toronto Compassion Centre on
Aug. Warren Hitzig, 26, Zachary Naftolin, 24, Andrea Horning, 40, and
Markos Koutoukis, 25, were charged with possession of marijuana for the
purpose of trafficking after a raid on the centre.

Lawyer Alan Young, who acted as the centre's lawyer, submitted a letter to
the federal prosecutor's office yesterday urging that the charges be dropped.

"People in power and authority have to understand the consequences of
closing the centre," Young said.

Young was one of the lawyers who took part in a Superior Court application
at the end of September that could force Ottawa to give users federal pot
grown for research.

Smoker William Palmer, his head adorned with cannabis laurels, said
yesterday he needs a steady supply of marijuana after the compassion centre
closed.

"They seized my pharmacy," he said. "Quit closing our pharmacies; we don't
close down your beer and liquor stores."