“We didn’t plan on getting arrested today — we brought 1,227 joints to represent the cannabis reform bill H.R. 1227 — and gave away a few hundred to congressional staffers before Capitol Police took it all away,” DCMJ Founder Nikolas Schiller told Fox News. “This was meant to be a free speech event and was meant to influence members of Congress.”
4/20 celebration leads to 7 arrests by US Capitol Police
By Brooke Singman, Fox News
U.S. Capitol Police arrested seven activists and confiscated about 1,000 joints from marijuana activists on Thursday during a 4/20 “celebration.”
DCMJ, the Washington D.C.-based marijuana advocacy group that spearheaded the legalization of cannabis in the district, led its first annual Congressional #JointSession — the group planned to pass out two joints per person to members of Congress, congressional staffers and anyone who obtained a congressional ID (and is over the age of 21) from noon until 4:20 p.m.
2 more arrests… 6 total.#JointSession420 #CUinCourt pic.twitter.com/knK7HT9nS1
— DC Marijuana Justice??????? (@DCMJ2014) April 20, 2017
U.S. Capitol Police confirmed the arrests.
Despite US Capitol Police twice confiscating their marijuana & 3 ppl arrested, @DCMJ2014 volunteers are back giving out joints. pic.twitter.com/WfKS8CWBaX
— Mark Segraves (@SegravesNBC4) April 20, 2017
“Under federal law, it is unlawful to possess marijuana,” U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement. “As of 2:30 p.m., one adult male and two adult female arrestees were charged with possession with intent to distribute. Four adult females were charged with possession. They were taken to USCP Headquarters for processing.”
“We didn’t plan on getting arrested today — we brought 1,227 joints to represent the cannabis reform bill H.R. 1227 — and gave away a few hundred to congressional staffers before Capitol Police took it all away,” DCMJ Founder Nikolas Schiller told Fox News. “This was meant to be a free speech event and was meant to influence members of Congress.”
US Capitol Police arrested @aeidinger #JointSession420 #CUinCourt pic.twitter.com/EQO78FddlS
— DC Marijuana Justice??????? (@DCMJ2014) April 20, 2017
For cannibas aficionados, ‘Weed Day’ is April 20, shortened to 4/20 — a code-term for marijuana coined, according to several reports, in 1971 by a group of California high school students who would meet at 4:20 p.m. every day after class to smoke pot.
Join us for the 1st Annual #JointSession on 4/20, @NatlCannaFest on 4/22 & #Reschedule420 on Monday, 4/24! Details: https://t.co/YPaxhl2cFr pic.twitter.com/23e69Qgxn0
— DC Marijuana Justice??????? (@DCMJ2014) April 10, 2017
The #JointSession event, according to DCMJ, was an effort to lobby members of Congress to encourage House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., to reauthorize the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment which prohibits the Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration from using funds to “interfere” with D.C. and state medical cannabis laws. The amendment expires on April 28.
Schiller told Fox News that DCMJ set up its demonstration on non-federal land near the Capitol.
“We were on D.C. grounds, but Capitol Police invoked federal law,” Schiller said. “We intend on fighting the charges.”
DCMJ had scheduled a “smoke-in” on the Capitol steps on April 24, but Schiller told Fox News he was unsure whether that event would take place as planned.
“Monday’s event is up in the air,” Schiller said. “We will see.”
Fox News’ Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
Source: Fox News
