[420 Girl]

Nimbin residents yesterday removed the doors to the town's museum in a bid to stop a court order closing the colourful business and the Nimbin Hemp Bar during the town's infamous MardiGrass celebrations this weekend.

In Lismore Local Court yesterday, police successfully applied for the order, due to evidence of an ongoing supply of drugs from within the Cullen Street premises. Police alleged that the crowds during MardiGrass, a festival celebrating cannabis, would increase the chance of drug dealing and use from the premises.

The museum proprietor was served with the court order immediately after the hearing at 9.30am yesterday. But after hearing the news people removed the museum's doors. "Everyone had hid the doors so I couldn't close it," said the president of the town's Hemp Embassy, Michael Balderstone.

"Anyway the police gave me a bit of time and we eventually found the doors hidden and put them back on," he said. "There's 20 keys to the building around town so I don't know if it will stay closed."

Mr Balderstone said the forced closures would not affect MardiGrass, with organisers expecting more than 10,000 to fill the northern NSW town over the weekend. "The police are just flexing their muscles," he said. "I think it was below the belt, it's the main tourist attraction in town and it's the biggest weekend of the year. But MardiGrass will go on around it."

Police will monitor the museum and bar during the weekend. Richmond police area's commander, Acting Superintendent Steven Clarke, said yesterday's application was based on evidence of the ongoing supply of drugs from both premises. "Under the strategic plan for Nimbin we are seeking to eliminate the supply of prohibited drugs," he said.

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