Four Arrested for Marijuana Use Near Capitol
DCMJ lead second demonstration in a week that led to arrests
Police made four arrests when marijuana legalization advocates took out joints and edibles and used them on federal land during a DCMJ demonstration Monday.
The group led its #Reschedule420 smoke-in days after seven were arrested while handing out marijuana to congressional staffers on Thursday in honor of 420, also known as National Weed Day.
Before the United States Capitol Police moved into the crowd on the lawn to make arrests, DCMJ held five prayers, for different religious denominations, and held up joints, edibles and Cannabidiol medication.
[Seven Arrested During Marijuana Handout to Hill Staffers]
Capitol Police took video and photographs of the demonstration and then moved in to arrest four advocates, including DCMJ co-founder Adam Eidinger.
DCMJ smoking pot on federal land pic.twitter.com/2cwbIA8mar
— Alex Gangitano (@AlexGangitano) April 24, 2017
USCP coming in for arrests pic.twitter.com/hWlugF5ha2
— Alex Gangitano (@AlexGangitano) April 24, 2017
The group originally planned to hold the event on the House steps of the Capitol, but moved to the lawn after Eidinger talked to Capitol Police officers.
They are pushing for federal decriminalization of marijuana and for Congress to remove marijuana from a Schedule I classification under the Controlled Substances Act.
4 DCMJ protested at the Capitol pic.twitter.com/zMKFm6Z5j2
— Alex Gangitano (@AlexGangitano) April 24, 2017
During the press conference, dozens of police officers stood by. Those arrested on Thursday told press that they were in jail for 28 hours.
[Bummer on Capitol Hill: Seven Arrested at 4/20 Event]
They said that one reason for the arrest included the fact that they had “slightly over the legal limit” of marijuana on them.
USCP officer films as a Buddhist prayer is led during the DCMJ press conference- at least 3 activists now have out some form of marijuana pic.twitter.com/bhY9kFL6CU
— Alex Gangitano (@AlexGangitano) April 24, 2017
Eidinger added that only two white men, including himself, were in the D.C. jail that day.
[Congress Turning a New Leaf on Marijuana]
Other speeches came from a mother of a child with epilepsy who uses cannabis, a war veteran and former opioid user and a lobbyist.
Many of the speeches were emotional and shared feelings about Attorney General Jeff Sessions, calling him a racist.
