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You are in Activism / Coffeeshops / Dutch Experience PRESS RELEASE.19/12/01 About
: Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies' appearance in court for cannabis possession. ITALIAN MEPs COME OVER TO STOCKPORT, UK, TO WITNESS UK MEP CHRIS DAVIES' COURTHEARING OVER CANNABIS POSSESSION.Chris
Davies, Liberal Democrat MEP who was arrested last Saturday, December 15, in front
of the Stockport Police Station for cannabis possession, is due to appear before
the Magistrate in Stockport, next Thursday, December 20, at 14.00 hrs, GMT. The
reason for the MEP's voluntary arrest was to openly support the cause of Colin
Davies, (not related), who opened a Dutch style coffeeshop, the Dutch Experience,
in Stockport, Greater Manchester, on September 15, 2001, with the support of Nol
van Schaik, a Dutch coffeeshopkeeper and owner of the Global Hempmuseum. The intention of this coffeeshop was to supply Colin’s patients with medical marihuana, and selling it for social use to healthy people. The social users were supposed to pay the full price, this way enabling Colin and his MMCO, http://www.mmco.org.uk/ to supply his patients for half the price, and to make the project self supporting. The cannabiscafe, as it is called in the UK, was raided by the Greater Manchester Police on the openingsday, Colin Davies was arrested, and all Dutch people present. The place was re-opened the same day, by Colin’s Mediweed patients and close friends, and started to be a coffeeshop from that time. The police left the place alone for 8 weeks after that, leading Colin Davies and his vistors to believe the situation was tolerated. The press was all over Colin and the Dutch Experience in that period, Colin and his visitors spoke openly about the use of cannabis. The
Dutch Experience was raided again on November 20, around 13.00 hrs, just after
Colin returned from court, where he was charged with possession and supply of
cannabis, and the importation of cannabis. Colin and nine others were arrested,
of whom four were charged with possession, with intent to supply, all were
released, except Colin Davies. He was held on remand, the Magistrate stated that
Colin would re-offend, and refused the bail request. Colin Davies is still locked
up in Strangeways prison in Manchester, in the hospital wing, Colin is a mediweed
patient himself. He started using cannabis to be able to cope with constant pain,
caused by a spinal injury, his spine is broken in five places, after a heavy fall,
that nearly killed him. Chris
Davies, a Liberal Democrat Member of European Parliament, from Stockport, who
was always in support of Colin’s initiatives for medical marihuana, was and is
appalled by the fact that Colin Davies, a sick person, is being kept in prison,
without being convicted, for the possession and supply of cannabis, a non-violent
offense. After Colin’s arrest and the refusal of his bail, his supporters started to have themselves arrested on a voluntary basis, in front of the Stockport Police Station, possessing and supplying eac hother with cannabis joints, on two Saturdays, November 24 and December 1, 2001. Chris Davies was present at the December 1 event, and vowed to hand himself, a non-cannabis user, into the Police Station, to be arrested for the possession of cannabis, on Saturday, December 15. He kept his promise, and turned himself in, accompanied by dozens of supporters of Colin Davies. The press witnessed his arrest, after a speech about why he thinks the laws on cannabis should be changed, after the Dutch example. He pleaded not guilty, the reason he has to appear before the Magistrate, next Thursday. Two
of Chris Davies political colleagues, Marco Capatto and Maurizio Turco, both MEP
for Italy, accompanied by Ottavio Marzocchi of the Radical Party, will attend
the local MEP's courthearing and the following press conference in front of the
Dutch Experience. The Italian politicians are in full support of Colin Davies' efforts, and sympathise with Chris Davies' initiative to expose this case of injustice to the world. The
Radical Party is known for its anti-prohibition stance, and have been involved
in similar actions in Italy, to show they disagree with their country's cannabis
laws. The Italian MEP's and the Radical Party consider the situation around the Dutch Experience cannabiscafe in Stockport and the UK a matter of European interest, the reason they want to be present, and involved in the event. Chris
Davies, Marco Capatto, Maurizio Turco and Ottavio Marzocchi will be available
on a press conference, in front of the Dutch Experience, at 14.30 hrs, GMT, on
Thursday, December 20. Chris Davies will comment on his previous court hearing,
half an hour earlier. Chris
Davies Liberal Democrat MEP. 87A Castle Street Edgeley Stockport Cheshire SK3 9AR Tel: 0161 477 7070 Fax: 0161 477 7007 Email: chrisdaviesmep@cix.co.uk Web: http://www.chrisdaviesmep.org.uk. Maurizo Turco's URL : http://wwwdb.europarl.eu.int/ep5/owa/whos_mep.data?ipid=0&ilg=EN&iucd=4745&ipolgrp=.&ictry=IT&itempl=&ireturn=&imode= Marco
Capatto's URL : http://wwwdb.europarl.eu.int/ep5/owa/whos_mep.data?ipid=0&ilg=EN&iucd=4740&ipolgrp=.&ictry=IT&itempl=&ireturn=&imode= Ottavio
Marzocchi's URL : www.radicalparty.org and
the Radical Party's actions for cannabislaw reforms : http://www.radicalparty.org/antiprohibition/brief.htm For
more info : The Dutch Experience, 0161 480 5902. Hooper St, Stockport, Gtr Manchester. www.dutchexperience.org dutchexperience@hotmail.com Mr
Nol van Schaik, 0031651852545 E-mail: cannabinol@wwwshop.nl Mr Schaik will be available for interview on the day Colin Davies Solicitor's
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