Legislative grounds home to annual pot light-up

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This article was published 20/04/2010 (5661 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG – A smoky haze drifted off the front lawn of the Manitoba legislative building this afternoon as more than 3,000 people — most in their teens and early 20s — lit up.

The large crowd has come together to brazenly break the law, marking 4/20 — the world-wide celebration of pot and a protest against anti-marijuana laws.

Participants couldn’t have asked for a nicer day, sparking up under sunny skies and a slight breeze.

"We’re here to participate in the protest and stand up for our rights," a young man in his late teens said.

Dozens of Winnipeg Police officers stood around the edge of the crowd.

"We recognize this is a worldwide protest," Const. Jason Michalyshen said as he watched the ever-increasing crowd. "We’re not here to promote anyone to break the law but we’re allowing people to express their views."

As the tart smell of marijuana drifted past him, Michalyshen said there would be no arrests this afternoon as long as individuals acted peacefully.

The event even attracted volunteer recruiters from the Peace Maker Society, a national organization that promotes what it calls family values.

Shaunda Petrova said the Peace Makers were there to promote their group and to show support for the protesters.

"We recognize that smoking marijuana is illegal but we don’t believe it’s unlawful," Petrova said.