Chaos erupts at Melbourne Cannabis Rally as police pick up patients

The annual 420 Rally & Community Picnic at Flagstaff Gardens in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia ended in disaster on April 20 when law enforcement sabotaged the event and dragged away peaceful patients while ignoring medical cannabis laws.

The Australian Parliament amended the Narcotics Drug Act in 2016 to allow medicinal cannabis. In Victoria, doctors and nurses can prescribe medicinal cannabis, but certain products must be approved by the Commonwealth Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

The 420 events there today are a mix of celebration and call to action. Jason, also known as “Ancient Jay”, organizes the 420 Rally & Community Picnic every year. Ancient Jay says that didn’t stop police from arresting people who were smoking peacefully at the rally.

“In a pre-planned attack on some of the most vulnerable members of the Victorian community, police intimidated and illegally searched anyone walking through the park, including a cancer patient recovering from recent brain surgery,” Ancient Jay told the High Times.

Courtesy of Platform 2 Melbourne

“I was approached by an elderly gentleman who had been strip searched in full view of the public despite not having cannabis or illegal substances. The humiliation he felt could be seen in the tears that rolled from the corner of his eye.”

Ancient Jay is a drug reform advocate, host of Ancient Jay’s Argo Nights and has been using cannabis for medicinal purposes for over 30 years.

The British tabloid Daily Mail reported on a particular incident in which several officers dragged a man and ignored his pleas that he had a prescription for medicinal cannabis. The man was handcuffed and dragged away. He also said he obtained his cannabis legally from a dispensary. The man told reporters he expects to have a lot of fun at his first legal medicinal cannabis event.

A Victoria Police spokesman said police were on site for the protest in Flagstaff Gardens on Wednesday and the man was later released – but after he was first arrested, handcuffed and dragged away. It’s not the kind of freedom advocates you’d imagine with legalized medicinal cannabis in the state.

A blogger from Platform 2 Melbourne was at the rally and decided to record it and post it on YouTube given the nature of the event, although a DJ was playing music in the background.

Police aggression is clearly visible in the video, and commentators called the police “uniformed thugs,” “cowards,” and other names.

Part of the problem is accessibility for medical patients. “Despite the legality and availability of prescription cannabis, current laws create a situation where patients’ rights can be ignored,” said Ancient Jay.

Police actions signal that they are not complying with the state’s recently introduced medical cannabis law.

“The police’s aggressive stance on the 420 Rally demonstrates a complete lack of understanding or empathy for these vulnerable members of the community and an intimidation-oriented approach toward law reform activists.”

Psychedelic artist TROG is based in Victoria and has many connections to the cannabis community there. He was also affected by the course of the rally.

“It’s 2022, everyone knows cannabis is not harmful, incidents like this shouldn’t happen, it’s wrong,” TROG told The High Times.

Around half of Australians say cannabis should be legalised. According to a 2019 poll, 41.1% of Australians believe cannabis should be legalized in the country – a significant increase in support levels compared to 2013 when they were asked the same question. In an online poll conducted by polling firm Essential Research between March 30 and April 2, 2022, 50% of respondents said they support full cannabis reform.