Things were damp in Arcata’s Redwood Park on April 20, the unofficial holiday also known as 4/20. The park’s grassy meadow was surrounded by caution tape. Police on the scene said a crew had spread fertilizer earlier in the day and no one was allowed to cross the field. Arcata Police Chief Tom Chapman was happy to see the rainy weather put a damper on the 4/20 4:20 party. If there was a crowd there to smoke, they were hidden deep in the woods.
The board of the Redwood ACLU issued a press release in advance of the gathering, complaining of “peculiar actions over the last couple of years by Arcata Police Department officers and other city staff.” Specifically: The erection of roadblocks on public streets leading to Redwood Park, blocking of public trails through public parkland leading to Redwood Park and the shutdown of public parking lots and public restrooms. (The police did in fact take over the building that houses the restrooms; the public was not allowed near the building.)
“The over-reaction of the City of Arcata to what amounts to a low-impact, non-violent mass action to protest federal law is really uncalled for,” the ACLU concluded.
On the road into the park, two officers stopped those trying to walk up the hill, telling them the park was closed due to maintenance. One would-be reveler said repeatedly, “You chose a funny day to do maintenance.” When he said it the third time, the officer turned hostile. “It’s time for you all to leave,” he demanded, and the reveler and his friends did just that, turned around and walked back down the hill.
When they were well out of site of the police they stopped and fired up the joints they’d come to smoke. “Head-band,” said one gentleman. “The best,” said another.
This article appears in Wealth Care.
How much money was wasted on stopping a nonviolent get together? There are so many more things to worry about up here besides where and when a bunch of people get stoned.
Kate, my guess is the answer to your question was one thought about long and hard by City officials before they took this action, and they concluded it cost less to handle it this way than the cost they have incurred in years past due to the mess they have to clean up. I’m no firebrand conservative but I thank the City for having the courage to do this and in so doing preserve the park so that we can all enjoy it in the manner for which it was intended.
I’ve done cleanup, omnominominominomonomomimous…all those cops cost a pretty penny more. Don’t believe me? Look into facts and figures of hiring police as part of permitting reggae on the river every year.
Also, the city could easily recruit volunteers to not only cleanup, but fixup the park soley for the sake of this event. People would jump at the chance if it meant a green flag for 4/20.
Think of the money the city could make from such a gathering. There’s more than meets the eye to this sudden closure after all these years.
4/20 is now officially spread-extra-manure-on-the-lawn day. Then invite the hippies in. They probably wouldn’t notice.
Most cities would jump at the opportunity to make a festival around 420. Leave it to Arcata to stop the festivities. Just think about all the increase revenues a city can generate if they were to turn this day into a festival in the plaza or in Redwood park. Talk about a lost opportunity!
those pigs in arcata, have a mission. to make as much cash off of as many weed violations and drunkin “hippies” as possible, and what better time to fill there little crappy ass jail, and put money in there citys coffers, “more than usual”, than to instigate hard feelings and force people to partace in less aproperate locations. 420 at the park usualy rocks, with unity and love, i bet if someone looked up how many aressteds were made for smokin in public that day, compared to most that they made bank, petty ass pigs…
Here’s to raining on the 4/20 parade. The police did a public service in closing down the park to tell 4/20 folks that the smoke had to go. Arcata is far too tolerant of marijuana, illegal and unsafe grow houses, homeless camping on public property. Arcata is not benefitting much from any of this nonsense. And, yes, I know that the city rakes in tax dollars from the dispensaries. The question is if there isn’t a better way to balance the books, and to be frank, the city’s future depends on more progressive economic thinking than relying on pot
.
Another Bob,
why of course, we’ll sell some liquor licenses.
As I mistakenly posted on the wrong story, that is one hilarious photo of Tom Chapman.
Tom Chapman has done a great job bringing respectability back to Arcata. Finally as Chief with a backbone.