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Update and Video Footage from Bronner Protest

Submitted by David Borden on

According to Dr. Bronner's, David Bronner is going to be in jail overnight (ouch), and is being charged with disorderly conduct, blocking a public way, and attempted distribution of marijuana.

If distribution is the charge they bring, things may get interesting. The US federal government bans growing of hemp plants, despite their lack of the psychoactive ingredient THC. But it is legal to import the sterilized seeds and the oil, among other things. It's oil (on bread), ground from the plants on site, that David was providing to people. Can a distribution charge of a food substance that is sold legally right here in the US stand up? The right to sell such food substances was tested and secured, in large part through Dr. Bronner's supported efforts. Perhaps there's some issue with the absence of an opportunity for FDA oversight, but that doesn't sound like a drug distribution charge to me. Perhaps some knowledgeable attorneys can weigh in here.

In the meanwhile, here are six video clips we shot from our smart phones today, followed by a professional one by Robin Bell.

Also, updates will continue to be available from the Dr. Bronner's Twitter feed (and ours). And at VoteHemp for news on the Wyden-Paul Senate hemp amendment.

David explains the differences between marijuana and hemp:

 
David discusses the reasons he resorted to this civil disobedience:
 
 
And David harvests hemp plants and processes them into oil. (He later handed bread with hemp oil out to onlookers.)
 
 
Firefighters saw open David's iron cage:
 
 
Metropolitan Police Department officers calmly arrest David:
 
 
And David provides optimistic commentary from the back of the police car, before an officer closes the window:
 
 
And Robin Bell's video that you could have watched instead of ours:
 

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