Feature Archives

The International Cannabis and Hemp Exposition took place at the Cow Palace in Daly City on April 17th and 18th. The expo, which had the first permitted area for the use of medical marijuana, was the largest event of its kind to hit Northern California. Prominent members of the cannabis community discussed a wide-range of topics, however the main buzz, on and off stage, was the initiative to "legalize, control, and tax cannabis in California," which is to be decided by voters in the state during the November 2010 elections.

On April 15th, Tax Day, a right wing organization called Bay Area Patriots held a Tea Party attended by about 200 people in Union Square in the late afternoon. Earlier in the day a similar group, who said they were inspired by Speaker Pelosi's characterization of the Tea Party movement as artificial, held an anti-Pelosi protest in Civic Center that drew only a handful of demonstrators. At both events, seasoned San Francisco mocktivists found plenty to make fun of.

On April 15th, a new direct action group calling themselves “Offset This!” disrupted the “Navigating the American Carbon World” conference at the Marriott Hotel in San Francisco. The protesters said that carbon trading is a false solution that distracts attention from the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions. One protester was arrested after causing a ruckus during the plenary session.

Josh Wolf spent seven and a half months in federal jail asserting his right as a journalist not to turn over videotape of a demonstration. He is now a student at UC Berkeley. Just last week, as this profile was being prepared for publication, the UCB administration announced it will try to suspend Wolf for seven months as punishment for his being arrested while covering the protest against fee hikes that led to the occupation of Wheeler Hall last November.

Queers who support human rights protested outside the Roxie Theater on Thursday, April 8th, the opening night of the Out In Israel LGBT Cultural Festival. Out in Israel is a marketing event series aimed at convincing LGBT people in the U.S. that Israel is a cool, progressive, gay-friendly country. This is all part of a public relations scheme by supporters of Israel in this country to repair an image tarnished by atrocities, such as its massacres in Gaza last year.

Four-Twenty (including 4:20, 420 and 4/20) has long been associated with marijuana use and marijuana activism. 4:20 is a time of day when people smoke marijuana. April 20th has evolved into a counterculture holiday, known for large gatherings of people celebrating and consuming marijuana, a.k.a. cannabis. Thousands of people gather annually in Boston, Boulder, New York, Santa Cruz, Seattle and many other cities in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and elsewhere around the world.

On Wednesday, April 7th, dozens of protesters at SF State held a rally in defense of the 11 occupiers who have been charged with over $8000 in fees related to the occupation of the business building in December of last year. The administration is using political intimidation and repression to strike fear into the campus community, especially anyone who stands up and fights back against the budget cuts and the privatization of the university. On April 14th, two women were arrested in a Cesar Chavez Student Center takeover.