Spliffing in the face of the law
Thousands of drug users have gathered in London to smoke cannabis – openly flouting the law in full view of the police.
and despite signs warning that anyone caught with the drug faced arrest, officers in hyde Park stood by and simply watched as plumes of pungent smoke rose into the air.
Revellers, including teenagers, lay sprawled on the grass, confident the police would do nothing at the ‘420’ rally, an annual event that calls for the legalisation of cannabis. one man said: ‘I’m not bothered about being arrested. The police will just take it off us – and we’ve got more.’
a Met Police spokesman defended the fact there were no arrests at the rally, saying its approach to enforcing drug laws ‘meant [the rally] passed off largely without incident’ and was ‘no different from any other day’.