On the morning of Friday, August 14, dozens of residents of Boulder Creek gathered in a downtown coffeeshop in response to police raids of medical cannabis gardens the day before. People took turns explaining what they experienced when members of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office’s newly formed Marijuana Compliance Team visited their homes and gardens.

Two of the medical cannabis patients whose garden was raided questioned why their 40 plants shared among three housemates was cut down to only seven plants. Many people were very angry and stated that they had been growing in compliance with the county's current medical cannabis cultivation laws: "Ordinance No. 5176. Ordinance Adding New Chapter 7.126 Relating To The Cultivation Of Medical Cannabis."

On August 13, sheriff's officers targeted properties on Moonrise Road in Boulder Creek. There were also unconfirmed reports of raids on Amber Ridge Loop. Using a bullhorn, officers entered some of the properties, breaking through gates, with their guns drawn and announced, "We're here to cut you down."

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