The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) was called to shut down vendors who set up tents in the city square to sell cannabis on Saturday afternoon.
Vendor Dillon McArdle said police gave them about 10 minutes to pack up their gear and leave.
“They came up and said, ‘If you do not shut down, we will be arresting people and we will be seizing everything,'” said Dillon.
Dillon added he will continue his form of civil disobedience despite threats from police.
“We’re protesting. A protest is civil disobedience. It is standing up against unjust laws for the right reasons.”
This is the second time police have been called to Robson Square in less than a week to shut down marijuana sales.
The federal government is anticipated to legalize the sale and consumption of cannabis by this summer.
In a statement, the VPD say it and the City of Vancouver will continue to work together to monitor the activity around the Vancouver Art Gallery relating to marijuana protests and illegal sales.
It adds that, “Any response will be legally justified, proportionate to the severity of the situation, and use the least intrusive means required to ensure public safety.”
It goes on to say future action could range from education to bylaw enforcement, and possibly criminal charges.
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