| Photo: KSBW |
| Free speech? How about “restricted access” speech? |
University of California Santa Cruz officials are restricting campus access for visitors and vehicles, in an attempt to muzzle Tuesday’s 4/20 marijuana smoke-out.
UCSC police have restricted access to the campus in past years, but the “unsanctioned” event continued to grow. There are still no plans to make any arrests or issue citations to anyone for smoking pot on campus, reports KSBW Action News.
The university reportedly realizes there’s no way it can stop thousands of people from taking part in the 4/20 celebration, so they focus on restricting “outsiders” and enforcing strict traffic measures.
| Photo: KSBW |
| Leo Ritz-Barr: “It’s the biggest act of civil disobedience the school sees” |
The 4/20 smoke-outs demonstrate the impossibility of effectively enforcing the marijuana laws, according to advocate Leo Ritz-Barr.
“The significance here on campus is it’s the biggest act of civil disobedience the school see,s” Ritz-Barr said.
UCSC Vice Chancellor Felicia McGinty primly reminded students in an email that the university does not condone the gathering. “This unwelcome and illegal activity diminishes UC Santa Cruz reputation and draws negative attention to our campus,” she clucked.
University officials wouldn’t speak to KSBW on camera, but two years ago, UCSC spokesman Barry Shiller said, “Our goal is to make it harder for people to drive onto campus to attend an illegal activity.”
The campus’s main entrance will be the only access. Students who live on campus will not be permitted overnight guests through Wednesday.
The university claimed it does not plan to have a huge police presence on campus Tuesday.