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Britain's first Cannabis Coffee shop opens!

The Dutch Experience Campaign Following the raid in November and the arrest of the owner, Colin Davies, a sustained campaign in support of the coffeeshop began. Dutch Experience campaign - click here

Britains first Amsterdam style coffee shop opened on the 15th September 2001 in Stockport, Manchester

News of the event broke on the UKCIA mailing list, the activist list that passes information:

"Just heard from cc-news that the opening of the planned Dutch-style coffeeshop in Stockport has been stopped by police. Colin Davies and three Dutch citizens have been arrested and are presently banged up by the police. Meanwhile there is a crowd of about 100 outside smoking pipes, joints and bongs. This, of course, comes as little surprise to anyone! Good luck to them all"

Sat, 15 Sep 2001
Subject: [UKCIA] UK: UK cannabis cafe manager is arrested
From: shug
Source: Ananova

The manager of Britain's first Amsterdam-style cafe which aims to sell cannabis has reportedly been arrested shortly after the business opened.

A scuffle broke out at the entrance of the cafe when a plain clothed detective revealed to cafe owner Colin Davies that he was inside. Police had warned Mr Davies that The Dutch Experience, based in the centre of Stockport, Greater Manchester, would be shut down if it was found to be breaking the law.

Mr Davies came out of his business just after opening demanding that the police officer showed him a warrant. A uniformed officer outside the shop was involved in an altercation with Mr Davies, who was trapped in the door. Mr Davies came out to greet a woman in a wheelchair and pushed her back into the shop saying: "She is a sick woman and needs cannabis to relieve her pain." The scuffle continued and Mr Davies was seen inside the cafe slumped on the floor.

At 10.15am he was led away by two female plain clothed detectives amid shouts from his supporters. As Mr Davies was put into the back of a police van, one of his supporters shouted: "He's a healer not a dealer." A Greater Manchester Police spokeswoman said: "A man has been arrested for the possession of cannabis with intent to supply. A search of the premises will now be conducted."

Police officers arrived in greater numbers at about 10.30am and entered the cafe where they carried out a search of every person there. Several people were arrested on suspicion of possession of cannabis and as they were led away a crowd of supporters outside cheered. Supporters of Mr Davies began smoking cannabis outside the cafe as the police watched. The wheelchair users lit pipes filled with the drug as police officers stood just two yards away.

Colin Davies - Cannabis Activist

The DUTCH EXPERIENCE coffeeshop was the work of Colin Davies of the Medical Marijuana Cooperative. Colin is one of the most determined legalisation campaigners in the country. He has goood reson to be, having suffered a spinal injury some time back, he uses cannabis for its pain killing properties. Colin was a founder member of the MMCO which provides medical users of cannabis with a supply of their medicine.

To e-mail the MMCO, click colin@mmco.org.uk (dead link)

MMCO website - Click here (dead link)

This is Colin Davies with a bunch of herb, preparing to meet the queen in Stockport in October 2000.

Colin handed the Cannabis to the Queen who took it gratefully and said "keep up the good work"........

Now, surely it is time to stop prosecuting these ill and dying people for self medicating with a herb.

Photos: Manchester Evening News

UKCIA has recieved the account from someone who was there:

The time is 9.15am as I finally stand outside the DUTCH Experience coffee shop.

As I enter I finally get to meet colin a man Ii owe so much to in helping me with my pain relief! Colin is really busy putting final touches to shop along with his Dutch counterparts. The press are starting to gather numbers outside while we make ourselves comfortable.

My wife and I have now been joined by another patient of colin's! A friend and fellow campaigner called Kate Bradley, who suffers from M.S. We were served cups of tea (normal I may add) while the others busied themselves around us.

As 10am approached some photographers and the BBC news cameras came in and took some pictures and also some footage shot by BBC. During this kate and her two carers lit up a normal B&H as there were no cannabis present at that time! this pic has since been used in an article in the Sunday people with the quote underneath saying... "LIGHTING UP: cannabis being openly smoked by colin's supporters"..But I can categorically deny that quote!

After the press had finished and had left things were getting ready to open up the shop. A few small bags of FREE weed was

placed on table for us to roll, so we could enjoy a celebratory spliff while the opening ceremony took place.

It was at this moment things started to turn nasty, and there was an incident where a female under cover police officer had gained her way into the shop, and as colin tried to wheel in another patient of his he was caught in the middle with an officer on inside and an officer on outside trying to issue colin with a search warrant. a struggle broke out and colin was man handled to floor.

After this colin was led away and the people inside the shop were detained including myself, while police took particular's, except thats where things started to get strange. I was searched (if you could call it that) very reluctantly by the officer in charge, no name taken no caution taken for the 2 bags of weed Ii had in my hand!!!, and was then allowed to leave. Outside was a substantial crowd of fellow sufferers and media. Its from this point Ii will leave it to the press releases

Chris

cc:news is pleased to report the Dutch Experience re-opened at 2.30pm.

Following arrest of Colin, Nol, Marushka (Nols wife and two Dutch staff, and the removal of their whole office and much other 'ervdience', it had been boarded up but apparently something happened to the boards, and the cafe has been occupied by 20-30 people since that time.

Someone took the initiative and opened the 'bar', serving teas, coffees, canned drinks etc... There has been open cannabis smoking and friendly conversation.

Everyone is wating to find out if Colin has been charged and if and when he's coming out on bail. Meanwhile, it's clear that the premises must remain occupied, since the boards had proved to be inadequate to secure the building and key to the door is missing.

Latest update: 3pm Sunday

open for business since 10am.

Colin was released on bail at 4.30am along with the others (Nol, Marushka, Marcel and one other), they have not been charged, they are on police bail and will return to the police station November 20.

Yesterday afternoon (we found out later) police visited the hotel where a number of us were staying, searched the rooms of "the Dutch people" and encountered 2 Dutch newspaper reporters who are now going to sue them for it...

They also surprised Lowestoft MS sufferer Vincent Bunch in the shower, found cannabis and took him down to the station to be offered a caution. Refused, so he'll appear in November too. Vincent was recently acquitted of a similar charge a few weeks ago. Vincent WAS charged.

More later will update the website sometime 2day but things quite busy here.

lyndon http://ccnews.org.uk (dead link)
BBCOnline report Click here

Sunday 6PM CAFE CLOSES until tomorrow Mon 10am.

Bailiffs expected tomorrow seeking to serve an injunction against Colin coming to the property. all 4 today lyndon