PRESS RELEASE - 21st June 2002

Independence from America Day 4 July

Independence from America Day will be celebrated in Byron Bay with a cannabis law reform rally, a dance and drum parade through the CBD and the witnessing of prophesies emanating from a Burning Bush outside the Byron courthouse.

The rally will assemble to hear speakers from 10.30 am Thursday 4 July in Apex Park, Byron Bay. The street parade will move off at about 11.30 am and the Bush will burn around about noon.

The celebration will acknowledge the passage of over 12 sniffer dogs free months in Byron and support sniffer dog resistance hero, Rusty Harris, whose will be in court again that day for another hearing of charges relating to his arrest in the first Byron Bay sniffer dog operation of March 2001.

“We are planning a colourful and theatrical event”, said organiser Graeme Dunstan of Peacebus.com. “We want to make it plain in the most artful way possible that we want no more sniffer dog operations, or any other kind of US Drug War policing, in the Rainbow Region.”

Graeme Dunstan met with the Byron Duty Officer, Inspector Owen King, today and negotiated the protest without any difficulties.

Mr Dunstan reports that the Inspector King was very helpful and told him that local police had no issue with the protest and that they had no plans for further sniffer dog operations in Tweed police area command.

Inspector King said that local police were waiting to hear the outcome of the Carr government’s appeal to the NSW Supreme Court against a Sydney magistrate’s ruling that the dog searches were illegal. This is the same wait that has Rusty Harris on hold in the courts.

Inspector King reckoned the NSW Supreme Court might take ‘forever’ to give the appeal a hearing and a decision.

“Forever will be too soon if it signals the return of the US Drug war to the streets of Byron Bay”, said Mr Dunstan.

“But so long as Rusty Harris is on hold in the courts we are assured on no more sniffer dogs and we have cause to celebrate a local people’s victory in resistance to the US, its Drug War and its global tyranny.”

Further information
Website: http://www.peacebus.com/FourthJuly/
Graeme Dunstan Peacebus 0412 609 373
Michael Balderstone Nimbin HEMP Embassy 02 6689 1842
Rusty Harris 0427 953 344