“In the legal domain, their voices remain, fighting for cannabis rights with no restrain”
Two Australian activists face criminal charges for projecting pro-cannabis messages onto the Sydney Opera House. After 16 months on bail, the duo will attend a court hearing on the 29th of August at Sydney’s Downing Centre. Alec Zammitt and Will Stolk are charged with projecting images of dancing cannabis leaves and other pro-weed images on the famed landmark on April 20, 2022, the cannabis community’s 4/20 high holiday.
Zammitt and Stolk allegedly utilized industrial projectors to beam the images onto the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the early hours of April 20 from the Park Hyatt Hotel.
The police raided the hotel suite where a projector was set up and both men were charged with offences related to “Distribution of advertisements, etc. on Opera House Premises,”. Similar legislation is associated with the Sydney Harbour Bridge, however, police have chosen not to pursue charges about that part of the demonstration.
Stolk and Zammitt argue that their actions did not form a commercial advertisement. Instead, the act was a constitutionally protected act of political communication. As well as a show of support for reform legislation being presided over in the New South Wales Parliament at the time. Although opting to drop their constitutional defense. “These public-friendly protests we are involved in cost us thousands and thousands of dollars out of pocket and we would rather spend our time and future budgets on furthering the cause rather than proving that this legislation is not applicable in this instance.” Said Alec
On August 29th, Stolk and Zammitt will face the courts for the fourth time relating to this matter.
If the activists are convicted, Stolk faces a fine of up to $1,100, while Zammitt’s penalty could be twice that due to a second charge for another instance of projecting on the Opera House he allegedly carried out before the 4/20 protest. The infamous pair of mischief makers are a large part of the ‘Who Are We Hurting?’ protest group which has been undertaking publicity stunts and public activations for pro-cannabis and other causes for over a decade. Some of these include Driving army tanks over the Sydney Harbour Bridge with newly elected Member of Parliament Jeremy Buckingham (while still on bail), the creation of a fake cannabis grow art installation in Kings Cross, The creation of a two-story Cannabis Christmas Tree that was erected in Martin Place and taking $420K of Australian currency to the steps of Federal Parliament to represent the daily excise lost due to prohibition.
“The Who Are We Hurting?” movement has recently gained worldwide notoriety. Due to ongoing bail restrictions, the boys were unable to attend, however, last month they coordinated associates to pull off an elaborate stunt in Berlin, Germany, recreating the team’s 2018 Australian stunt that saw parkour ninjas place 100s of cannabis plants around Sydney. Last week the German government signed off on legislation that would, pave the way for adults to legally buy and possess small amounts of cannabis.
The Dynamic duo once dubbed as the “Kings Of Cannabis” in Australia by Maxim Magazine and The Daily Telegraph have been featured in International publications like the notorious counterculture magazine High Times, NYC’s Frank 151, Yahoo, LadBible, and Vice just to name a few.
Alec Zammitt has gone on to found a drug props company, internationally supplying numerous TV shows and blockbusters such as the upcoming Stoner comedy Wizards! Featuring Pete Davidson coming to cinemas in 2024.
Alec notes, “I’m not trying to encourage cannabis consumption, it’s not for everyone, however, the laws aren’t helping anyone.”
@crazeske & @willysworld69