PROTESTERS' PLAN GOES TO POT

Parliament Hill pot protesters tried to take a final shot at Ottawa's cops
when they turned in a marijuana plant at regional police headquarters
yesterday.

RCMP officers hassled Coburg resident Steven Bacon, who has a federal
exemption to laws preventing the possession and cultivation of marijuana,
when he brought the foot-high plant to the protest Saturday. Bacon
eventually put the plant in his car.

But yesterday he and fellow protester Alison Myrden dropped the plant on
the front desk at police headquarters before heading home. The cop they
approached closed his wicket and would have nothing to do with the pair or
their plant.

"We're medicinal marijuana patients, sir," said Myrden.

Police took the plant and planned to destroy it, Staff Sgt. Les Bowie said.

Meanwhile, protesters denounced the actions of Marijuana Party Leader
Marc-Boris St. Maurice at yesterday's rally. He was charged with assaulting
a police officer in a pie-throwing incident.

Steven Bacon
Ont.Can.