UK : LDN : Tories stub out cannabis festival
From
http://www.icsouthlondon.co.uk
Quote:
Cannabis march to be banned
Feb 25 2005
IT USED to be the home of the so-called ‘softly-softly’ approach to
cannabis possession and for many it’s the natural place for a festival
calling for the drug to be legalised. For six years, thousands of
revellers descended on Lambeth to back the campaign. CLARE CASEY finds out
why the event has been banned
LOVE it or hate it, it was an established fixture in the cultural calender.
In less than a decade the annual Cannabis March and Festival in Lambeth
became better known than the borough’s country show.
But not any more. Lambeth council this week announced it would not let the
event’s organisers hold the festival at Brockwell Park in Herne Hill.
The authority has banned what would have been the seventh festival,
alleging drug dealing took place in the Victorian park at last year’s
bash. The move has angered organisers who claim the decision was taken for
political reasons. Thousands of people marched annually from Kennington to
Brockwell Park for the festival in support of a global call to legalise
cannabis. Similar events take place around the world to mark Cannabis
Liberation Day.
But Lambeth’s executive member for environment, Councillor Clare Whelan,
said it would be “irresponsible” to let the festival go ahead.
The Conservative councillor told the South London Press: “Residents and
council officers who went to last year’s event were offered drugs by
dealers.
“It is against the law to sell drugs and I was horrified to discover
families – not just one or two but a substantial number – had been
approached by dealers. Brockwell Park is council land and it is up to us
to take a stand.
“We cannot condone letting an event go ahead where drug dealers operate,
because that would be completely irresponsible.
“I absolutely support liberty of speech and people campaigning for a
change in the law but this is a different thing altogether.
“Lambeth has had a reputation for turning a blind eye to cannabis smoking
but we must remember it is still illegal.”
This so-called “softly-softly” approach was undertaken in 2001 when
Lambeth police pioneered a lenient approach to cannabis possession in
which people caught with small amounts of the drug were cautioned rather
than arrested. This is no longer the case.
Festival organiser and Green Party drugs spokesman Shane Collins claims
the Liberal Democrat and Conservative-run council axed the event because
of Cllr Whelan’s political persuasion, an allegation Cllr Whelan denies.
Mr Collins said: “The council is making itself look foolish.
“Cllr Whelan is a Tory and that’s why she doesn’t want it to go ahead.
“I would be interested to see a list of all these residents who complained
to her officers – I suspect it’s very short.
“On the one hand the council bleats on about a sense of community and says
it is really important to provide events for the people of Lambeth, but
then they stop us doing just that.
“Thousands of people look forward to this free festival every year and to
pull it with no explanation is a disgrace. It’s a safe event which is all
about people having fun.
“By stopping it they have made themselves look extremely stupid yet again.”
The festival might be banned but Mr Collins said the march to the park,
via Brixton, would go ahead as planned on Saturday, May 7.
On the same day similar protests calling for the legalisation of cannabis
will take place around the world.
Residents neighbouring the park had mixed views about the festival ban.
Simon Cobban, of Dulwich Road, Herne Hill, was disappointed.
He said: “I have never seen any trouble and it’s a good festival. It’s not
only the march but there’s good food and it’s a fun day out.
“It tends to attract the ‘dogs on strings-type’ but my only complaint is
there are a lot of camper vans that park on this road for the couple of
days surrounding the event.”
A pensioner in Norwood Road, who asked not to be named, said: “I’m sure
the council has stopped it with good reason.
“Sometimes the music is a bit loud – but not as bad as the megaphones you
hear when the Lambeth Show is on.
“Those young ones don’t cause any trouble but they leave a lot of litter.”
Staff at Tanley’s Irish bar in Dulwich Road said the ban would be bad for
business and the community.
Full-time bar worker Evelyn McDonagh said: “I always choose to work when
the cannabis festival is on because it’s such a fun day.
“You get loads of people popping in for a couple of pints and it’s a good
atmosphere.
“I think it’s a shame for everyone that it’s not going ahead.”
