Police sends everybody out of the Rokerij

[Capt.Ahab]

Last October I was in the Old Church Coffeeshop and several policemen entered, closed the door and started checking ID and searching pockets for weapons.
As each person was searched, a cute blond policewoman would let them out the door.They handed out little cards printed in a few different languages to each person before they were searched that explained that a routine weapons check was being conducted. As soon as they were finished, everyone was allowed back inside. They were very polite and it really was no big deal.
I dont think I even put the joint I was smoking out.

 

[WV Rastafari]

Do they also check the shop's scale for accurracy?

 

[Guest]

Exactly how much weight can a shop have? Are there different permits for size and customers? Because a popular larger shop would have to have more weight to meet demand? am I right? I've never been to the dam, but man would I ever love to go. during ht or 420 or just whenever actually. To be able to smoke in a public place and relax without being paranoid of being arrested or someone calling the cops would be fantastic.. but back to my main questions, I'm just curious.

 

[gaiusmarius]

Last October I was in the Old Church Coffeeshop and several policemen entered, closed the door and started checking ID and searching pockets for weapons.
As each person was searched, a cute blond policewoman would let them out the door.They handed out little cards printed in a few different languages to each person before they were searched that explained that a routine weapons check was being conducted. As soon as they were finished, everyone was allowed back inside. They were very polite and it really was no big deal.
I dont think I even put the joint I was smoking out.

now that is very bad news, they actually searched everyone? man oh man what is the world coming to, when you can be searched for no reason other then being in the coffee shop they happen to check? i never would have thought that the Dutch public would tolerate such a thing. routine control indeed? where's the justification in that? a police state is being established step by step all over the planet.

 

[Deft]

a police state is being established step by step all over the planet.

The global political police are listening..

 

[HashishinReidi]

natoffski i am sure each shop can only hold half a kilo, which is 500 grams.

The shops what have alot on there menus, this is not so good as they runout quick ,Still you cant moan. As its great that they have coffie shops in the first place .

 

[Deft]

Whats the reasoning behind limiting them to such a small ammount?

 

[potofgold]

ur rite reidi wat it wud be like 2 have coffeeshops most of us can only dream ahh it wud be heaven

 

[milehigh]

We don't have this in Haarlem(yes they check the weed, but do not harrass customers). I can't believe you are accepting this. How many times have you seen them in a liquor only place? This is an invasion of privicy and TOTAL BULLSHIT. If I come across this situation I will be much less tolerent then you guys. They keep pushing and now our backs are against the wall. Are you waiting for them to grab you by the neck before you push back? I'm not. Get up stand up......

mh, proud cannabis activist. Ask me about the blowin on 5 Mai.

 

[Moppel]

exactly Milehigh

 

[gaiusmarius]

you are totally right milehigh, they need to respect peoples privacy. to me this is starting to look like they are assembling a data base of coffee shop visitors in Amsterdam. the thing is, what can you do? if you cause a big scene they will also cause you a scene, specially if you happen to have a few gs more then they allow.

 

[milehigh]

you are totally right milehigh, they need to respect peoples privacy. to me this is starting to look like they are assembling a data base of coffee shop visitors in Amsterdam. the thing is, what can you do? if you cause a big scene they will also cause you a scene, specially if you happen to have a few gs more then they allow.

Where do I start? I moved over here 6 months ago to become part of the ganja culture that I so love. After about 4 months the honeymoon was over and I started to see and understand what is really going on here. Our way of life is being threatened like I have never seen before. We have more evidence then ever that the Dutch model works, yet more and more restrictions are being put on coffeeshops and smokers. I am no conspiracy theorist, but I have to tell you something is going on here that is organized between many law enforcement agencies, social services, customs, etc. I am not even so sure that many of the claims of tainted weed have been accurate because they root from law enforcement, not the growing smoking community. They are trying to divide and conquer and are doing a pretty good job of it imo. And it seems to be international as well. I hear of problems in the UK and in California. The media is horribly misinformed because their only source of information is the fucking pigs.

So we must inform the media, we must inform the police, we must inform the nee sayers that we are good people and they are damn lucky to have us.

If confronted by police for ID when I have done nothing besides occupy a seat in a legal shop, I will make a fuss and if it means a few hours at the station, I think it's worth it. If everyone just bends over, you get the picture. A fuss is not being disrepectful, but demanding to speak to superiors, demanding to know what this is about, demanding to know why you are being singled out, etc. Refusing to show ID until these demands are met. If you make it difficult for them and take their time, maybe they will do it less?

Sorry for the rant, but I am worried about the state of ganja affairs here and everywhere. Get up, stand up... We are good people, remember that.

mh

 

[gaiusmarius]

i tell you what though, this makes me very happy to know that the 420 venues are not gonna be made public.

yeah it doesn't seem right, that people get harassed for id for no reason. it brings back memories of nazy germany. "ve Vant to zee your papers!" you are right though, we need to make a fuss, even if it's a bad review and complaint, sent to the tourism organizations of holland. one could also write letters of complaint to the news papers, questioning the motives behind these measures. specially considering the fact that the dutch model is, as you say working so well.

 

[HashishinReidi]

Now i am pissed sorry just lost a long stoned waffle . milehigh I am sorry to say thats the one thing i did not like about harlem , it was like a youth glub in some coffie shops .

I think 18 is the age it should be to toke even though i admit i was toking b4 that age . As isaid b4yu haveagreat thing there in your country, and it would be a GREAT shame to lose it .Becouse a few coffie shops could not follow the law .

I dont like to sit and toke with 16 year old sorry, its just not my cup of tea.

Now dont getme wrong, i loveyou country i always have ever since i had a rocking chair as a baby .With a dutch woman on it with a windmill in the background.strange i knowbut that canals an boats and your buildings they ar all the things i love . Now a question for the Dutch why is it you are so tall ,As you are the tallest nation on the earth ,
and why are you stairs so steep and narrow.I dont understand that being as alot of you are so tall ?.is it all down to your diet.

When me a my m8 went to last year 420
3 dutch people spoke to me and my m8 in Dutch as they thought we was dutch as one lad said at a food place in Hallem ,

And then outside nols in harlem there was a dutch man trying to unlock his bike he was old in his 50 gray hair , and he just started to talk to me in Dutch , That is when i said sorry i dont understand as i m English and he lauged, and then he lauged even more when he realised it was not his bike lol , and he was trying his key in the wrong lock lol .Still alot of the bikes, if not all look the same .So its a easy mistake to make .And to edit i have just noticed that you said you moved over thre milhigh 6 months ago to be apart of the ganja culture .And then you say this and i quotewhat you have just said

If confronted by police for ID when I have done nothing besides occupy a seat in a legal shop, I will make a fuss and if it means a few hours at the station, I think it's worth it. That is not what is needed and it does not help noone what so ever .If anything it makes matters worse ]
for you and the coffie shop .

That is not a good way to handle things at all .You are a guest in that country which has given you the freedom that so many of us dont have .And when folks start to make a fuss not in the right way That is when matters get worse .

I dont like pigs at all full stop But i respect the Dutch for treating you like a NORMAL person and not like a crim.So i am asking you next time the police do a check , Dont just think of yourself think of the others in the coffie shop and of the coffie shop itself .They are on a fine line some as it is .So please respect your Dutch hosts. As that is what they hate the most load mouths brits yes i am from the uk to ,and yanks who go over there and, just think its one big party .

Its a lovely country ,which has the sense to treat people with RESPECT.So milehigh sorry if it seems i am having a dig at you i am not . far from it i am just saying, treat them with RESCEPCT to.As making a fuse does nothing at all to help Activisim.

 

[gaiusmarius]

hashishin milehigh is the manager of a coffee shop, so he knows what he is saying. the coffee shops don't like their customers being harassed anymore then the customers enjoy said harassment. if you understand how much pressure the coffee shops are under already you will realize that they have to push back. no body minds them checking the amount and checking ids of young looking customers, but when they start checking every id and searching every customer, that's when things have gone too far. you don't get searched when you go for a drink in the pub do you?

 

[o.gkushowns]

I think the shops get around it by stashing shit in the apartment above the shop or sometin. I remember at this reggae coffeeshop there was a camera screen of a back room with loads of weed.
peace

 

[baccas125]

Stand up for your rights!!!

 

[HashishinReidi]

I dont drink at all or go to pubs gaiusmaies,Oh so milehigh is Dutch ups sorry my mistake .Gm theyhave to check all idea to see who is under age .gm i do understand how much presure they are under.I have been to Holland many times .

And also the fine line they are on ,ie they can even be shut down if they start to be a problem ie being anti social.So making a big huff about things to the police if you are a guest in the shop it helps no one .

But if you are say a manager of a shop, and you want to stress the police .And then get your licence taken of you ,Then who i am to say .

All i am saying once you was able to produce seeds in Holland ,till some folks started to take the piss and And then that got stopped .They use to be 1500 coffie in and around Holland then a few years ago alot got shut down .now i think its about half that number i could be wrong though .

 

[Yellowmoon]

Yeah... they're on a risky business and I just recently understood why at one of the shops they're so rude when I stepped in without an ID... that could end up costing them more than one lost customer.

 

[gaiusmarius]

those numbers you posted are a great example of the repression that has been happening over the years. this is the whole point, where does it stop? recently some dutch minister was quoted saying, that he expected holland to be the same as the rest of europe in 10 years from now, when it comes to coffee shops and cannabis use.

the conservative politicians have been waging war on the cannabis community for ages, every new rule they make has served to close down more shops.

the other thing i'm surprised to hear from you is the tolerance for so called id. when i was growing up all my english mates and their dads used to take the piss out of the german id laws and now look where they are? an englishman has to carry id in his own country.

like i said let them check those that really look young. But whats with all this routine checking? why check a guy who is obviously of age? just indiscriminatly checking everyone, is like saying; you are all potential criminals! without the least bit of proof, or suspicion. when you allow that, then you have adopted a police state. the law should never be allowed to act without proof or at least suspicion. typical sign of the times, when preemptive wars are ok, then i suppose id checks are a small thing.

there again, if we meekly submit, then the next thing will be routine searches and routine name collection of customers, then maybe a law against tourists buying in coffee shops? and on and on, one has to say stop.

i won't even go into the potential dangers of forcing the young 16 to 17 to buy from shady junky dealers in the back aleys. in principal i agree they shouldn't start smoking till 18, but if they do is it wise to make them get their shit from the drug dealers in the street? that's the problem, it puts them in touch with a lot of other heavier drugs that they wouldn't have gotten to know in a coffee shop. but at least the dutch kids know, they just have to wait to be 18 and they can enjoy cannabis if they want to, so it's not such a big deal like in countries where it's totally illegal.

anyway do not misunderstand i am in no way promoting underage toking, just saying that their are many sides to most situations and they all need to be considered.

it's cool to be chatting with ya Hashishin mate, i hope we meet this time at the 420.