Pompo

Hempfest considers move to new site: UPDATED
OPP 'treat it just like we would any major event'
8/24/08|Sault Star| by Brian Kelly - The Sault Star

Hempfest could move to a new location with several entry roads after a second consecutive year of stepped-up police enforcement.

Police stopped more than 500 vehicles and handed out dozens of charges during 12-hour daily vehicle checks Wednesday to Saturday north of Echo Bay.

A checkpoint, set up on Poplar Dale Road in Aberdeen Township, was about a kilometre south of what's billed as Northern Ontario's premier cannabis festival. Poplar Dale Road is the only roadway that leads to the annual event.

"We have had some people who have made very earnest attempts to share their viewpoint on why (marijuana) should be decriminalized, the medicinal aspects of it," said Staff Sgt. Brian Knowler, operations manager of the East Algoma detachment of Ontario Provincial Police.

"We certainly appreciate that viewpoint, but in our case our job is the enforcement end."

Hempfest organizer Rob Waddell referred to the police checks as an "interrogation checkpoint" that didn't deter more than 1,500 people from attending.

"They're not out there doing a RIDE program," he said at Hempfest Sunday morning.

"They're out there to intimidate us and to try and stop us from protesting and gathering peacefully."

Hempfest organizers are considering five new sites, including downtown Sault Ste. Marie, that would give attendees a choice of several roads to travel.

The possible move means police would have to set up more checkpoints if they wanted to stop everybody.

"We come out here, hundreds of miles away almost from everybody, and we still get hassled," said Waddell.

"What's going to happen in Sault Ste. Marie?"

Waddell plans an online survey with Hempfest participants about a new venue and expects a decision to be made in the spring.

Meanwhile, he plans to talk to his lawyers about possible action against the OPP vehicle checks.

"We're definitely going to look at this," said Waddell.

"This isn't right for them to interfere."

Eighty charges were handed by police.

They included:

• 65 provincial charges for improper or missing documentation, improper equipment, seatbelt and liquor offences;

• nine motorists were charged for driving while under suspension. Police seized four vehicles because there was no licenced driver;

• four automobiles were taken off the road because they were unsafe to drive. One vehicle had two bald tires. A vendor's vehicle had a homemade hitch that "completely contravened all regulations," said Knowler;

• one 12-hour licence suspension was given;

• two persons were charged for having a flick knife and a spiked wristband, both prohibited weapons;

• five people were charged for possession of a controlled substance;

• a female youth from Serpent River First Nation was charged for possession of cannabis and assaulting a police officer.

Her name can't be released under the Youth Criminal Justice Act;

• a Sault Ste. Marie man was found wandering on Poplar Dale Road in a confused and hallucinatory state Saturday night.

He told police he drank 18 beers, cannabis, LSD and ecstasy in a nine-hour span.

The male, 22, was charged with being intoxicated in a public place.

His name was not released by police.

• A man allegedly had four ounces of magic mushrooms with a street value of $800 in his vehicle.

Brad Grier, 20, of Sudbury was charged with possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.

There were 10 officers drawn from the East Algoma detachment, Sault Ste. Marie Drug Enforcement Section and a regional canine officer.

Complaints from area residents about speeding vehicles, heavy traffic and open drug use spurred the stepped-up police action in 2007, said Knowler.

"Our objective is to to be up there to keep the road safe for the people travelling to and from the area and enforcing provincial or criminal laws if the need arises," he said.

"We treat it just like we would any other major event."

A post on Hempfest's message board encouraged participants to "say no to searches" by OPP.

"I hate being abused by the police," wrote pinklover Tuesday.

"Is there an alternate route I can take into the fest?"

"One way in, one way out," replied leeant Wednesday.

"Cellphones don't work there, but a CB does as does a cobra communicator. I'm out this year became a chicken two weeks ago. Be safe."

The 10th annual event included speeches by medical marijuana exemptee Alison Myrden, musical performances by The Wild Turkeys and IT and the Cannabis Olympics.