After arrests, pot demonstrators return to US Capitol to protest

WASHINGTON — Less than a week after a demonstration resulted in eight arrests, pro-pot demonstrators plan to be back in downtown D.C. Monday afternoon.

“We’re going to be returning to the U.S. Capitol grounds tomorrow at high noon to push Congress to act by passing laws to remove cannabis from the controlled substances act,” said Nikolas Schiller with DCMJ, one of the organizers of the event.

Schiller said this is the second year in a row for the event called “Re-schedule 4/20.” April 20 is a holiday on which supporters celebrate cannabis use.

Schiller said the arrests were unexpected during last Thursday’s protest, as the group handed out free joints to congressional staffers and others who work on Capitol Hill. Schiller said the demonstrators were located on District land, but the area is controlled by U.S. Capitol Police; by invoking federal law, police made the arrests.

In D.C., possessing 2-ounces or less of pot is legal, but it’s against the law to have the drug on federal property.

Since most lawmakers were in their hometowns for spring break last week, Schiller said Monday’s event is aimed at getting their attention, but joints will not be handed out.

“It’s about showing up and speaking out against prohibition of cannabis,” Schiller said.

Schiller said in addition to getting marijuana removed from the list of controlled substances, demonstrators will call for less intervention in state marijuana law decisions on the federal level and push for District residents to have the right to vote on whether pot can be legally purchased in the city.