Saturday, November 20, 2010

The Police Have Nothing to Do in Helsinki

I'm sorry, but what the bloody hell?

The pro-cannabis protest in Helsinki today drew some 300 activists. Well, more like less-passives, since the worst provocation they came up with was holding speeches, marching around and a few daring individuals smoked weed.

The police response? Inspecting the buses en route to the event, stationing over a hundred men around the event and utilizing the cavalry police unit. They had a cop for every three peaceful protesters.

Arrests were made for whipping out a bong and smoking a bowl, which is punishable by a fine here. Police detained the smokers they saw and ferried them to the station for questioning. From a few up to tens of arrests were made, depending on which report you read.

What a god damn waste of time. It's not like rioting was expected, I think these potheads are the least likely group of people to kick up a riot. I thought it ridiculous when YLE reported some 30 police at the scene, but the Helsingin Sanomat reporter wrote of over a hundred cops.

Man, if California succeeded in putting legalization on a ballot, we can't even have a protest for decriminalization without a massive police presence. This is stupid no matter how you slice it.

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