Large crowd gathers at Vancouver’s Sunset Beach on 4-20 despite COVID-19 restrictions

A large crowd gathered at Vancouver’s Sunset Beach on Tuesday night for 4-20, the annual day of celebrating cannabis culture.

The social media account for 420 Vancouver said there was no official event held in the city this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and urged people to stay home.

2:20 Vancouver Police ‘reassessing’ approach after large beach parties during COVID-19

Organizers said 420 Vancouver celebrations were going digital with participants able to tune in to Pot TV and Cannabis Life Network for the event.

Nevertheless, around 200 to 300 people gathered at Vancouver’s Sunset Beach on Tuesday night. While not an official 4-20 event, there were vendors on hand.

Anti-mask and anti-restriction signs were seen as a separate rally took place at the same spot.

Recent COVID-19 restrictions allow people to gather outdoors in groups of no more than 10.

The province has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases with hospitalizations linked to the disease at an all-time high.

Vancouver police officers attended the scene but told Global News they did not plan to disperse the crowd, only to educate them.

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Earlier in the week, B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth criticized large crowds that had gathered in English Bay over the weekend, calling them “incredibly irresponsible.”

“Gathering in parties where you are close together, drinking, not being masked up, not observing social distancing is a recipe to spread COVID,” he said.

— with files from Amy Judd, Andrea Macpherson and The Canadian Press