[420 Girl]

Despite the cold weather and short notice, over 60 people turned out on Tuesday at Quincy City Hall to protest the anti-marijuana ordinances being proposed by Mayor Koch and Councilor Coughlin. These new ordinances, if approved, could add $600 in fines on top of the $100 fine approved by 65% of Massachusetts voters last November.

Protestors gathered in front of City Hall before the meeting began and waved signs at passing cars that read "65%", "Mayor Koch - What's Wrong With Democracy", "Voting Doesn't Matter In Quincy", etc. This reporter also smelled some direct action at least twice during the protest.

Shortly after the meeting began, most of the crowd went into the council chamber where they were told that there was to be no public hearing on the matter until a later, unspecified date. Several police cars with lights flashing sped up to City Hall minutes later only to find everyone sitting peacefully in the meeting.

The result of the meeting was that the ordinances were referred to the Ordinance and Public Safety Committees who will have to hold public hearings on the matter. City Hall officials say that these hearings have not yet been scheduled but will not happen for at least a month.

This protest was organized by Socialist Alternative, MASS/CANN, and other residents of Quincy and nearby communities. Socialist Alternative supported a YES vote on QUESTION 2. We believe that the “WAR ON DRUGS” is a failure and mostly used as a weapon against working people, especially youth and people of color.

We don’t need more criminalization and overcrowded prisons. Instead of using taxes to bail out the rich and punish working people, money should be spent for jobs, housing, education and healthcare that includes adequate rehabilitation programs.

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