An annual event that sees thousands of white people openly smoking pot while police look away from what would have led to the arrest and jailing of Indigenous and black people kicked off across the continent today.
April 20th is known as 420 by pot activists and users alike and is both a celebration of cannabis and an opportunity to push for its legalization. It follows and is preceded by 364 days of the year where Indigenous and black people are over criminalized for using the same substance.
“What can you do?” said one police constable with a laugh, who just a day before had arrested several Indigenous people for possession of pot. “Kids these days, eh?”
The event comes on the same day police also joyfully ignore white folk for taking over city streets to celebrate sports teams, an action that sparks outrage when Indigenous activists do it when calling for justice.