2008 Otago NORML protests

The 2008 Otago NORML protests (known coloquially as the 'Narkiology Incident')^{[citation needed]} was a campaign by Otago NORML activists on the University of Otago campus in Dunedin, New Zealand. The group members regularly smoke cannabis on the Otago University Union lawn in an act of defiance. After considerable media and police interest, several trespass notices were issued to non-student members and the group leader was charged for cannabis offences. The leader initially plead not-guilty to all charges, but later plead guilty to possessing cannabis and resisting and obstructing police in February 2009.^[1]. The group leader was discharged without conviction on all charges in December 2009^[2].

Initial confrontations with authorities

Members of Otago University NORML (Otago NORML) came to the attention of the New Zealand Police after a series of incidents involving the Otago University private security service Campus Watch. The Campus Watch had attempted to prevent club members from congregating on the Otago University Union Lawn and smoking cannabis throughout late 2007 and early 2008^[3]. When students continued using drugs on University property, Otago University administrative authorities called in the Police^[4].

Beginning of Undercover surveillance

Otago NORML members had suspected police surveillance of their twice weekly '420 smoke-up protest' group from as early as February 2008^[5]. This suspicion was officially confirmed in June 2008 when a Police visited the 420 protest for the first time^[6]. During this June incident several non-students were trespassed from the University campus. When one of the people who had been trespassed attempted to re-enter the campus, three plainclothes police officers attempted to enforce the trespass order^[7]. This was met by outrage from the wider protest group, who photographed the police officers.^[8].

Arrests

In July 2008, the leader of Otago NORML was arrested for smoking cannabis at a Market Day on the University Union Lawn. The search powers of the officers was contested at the time by the arrestee, and the ensuing verbal altercation attracted considerable attention from the Market Day crowd. Several students attempted to physically prevent the officers from conducting the arrest^[9]. Plainclothes officers emerged from the student crowd and began to assist with the arrest and crowd control as they waited for additional police units to arrive.^[10]. The arrest was covered on the front page of the local newspaper, the Otago Daily Times.^[9].

Posters

Several weeks later, posters titled "Narkiology 101 - How To Spot a Nark" began to appear around the Otago University campus showing the pictures, names and badge identification numbers of the five plainclothes police officers dressed up as students that had so far been identified.^[11]

Popular culture

In late 2008 the popular Tui beer brand ran one of their famous 'Yeah Right!' billboards in the Dunedin student quarter that referred to 'Narkiology'

The 'Narkiology' Tui billboard

See also

• Cannabis in New Zealand

External links

• Official Otago NORML website

References

1. ^ "Norml leader guilty". Otago Daily Times. 10 February 2009. http://www.odt.co.nz/on-campus/university-otago/42645/norml-leader-guilty. Retrieved 28 December 2009. 
2. ^ "Ex-Norml leader discharged". The Otago Daily Times. 4 December 2009. 
3. ^ "Dope Heads on Campus". TV One Close Up. 27 July 2007. http://tvnz.co.nz/view/video_popup_windows_skin/1256786. 
4. ^ "University backs police". Otago Daily Times. 24 July 2008. http://www.odt.co.nz/on-campus/university-otago/14609/university-backs-police. 
5. ^ "Undercover Cop surveilling Otago NORML 420 protest Feb 2008". Otagonorml's YouTube. February 2008. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI8kbHFcTOs. 
6. ^ "Otago University NORML Wednesday 4:20 Protest - 11/6/08 Pt.1". Otagonorml's YouTube. 11 June 2008. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H06nPEnRUPU. 
7. ^ "Otago University NORML Wednesday 4:20 Protest - 11/6/08 Pt.2". Otagonorml's YouTube. 11 June 2008. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHwa9eWPp2A. 
8. ^ "Otago University NORML Wednesday 4:20 Protest - 11/6/08 Pt.3". Otagonorml's YouTube. 11 June 2008. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lzyjxTkEOM. 
9. ^ ^{a b} "Campus arrests follow marijuana complaints". Otago Daily Times. 11 July 2008. http://www.odt.co.nz//on-campus/university-otago/12872/campus-arrests-follow-marijuana-complaints-video. 
10. ^ "University Of Otago Students Arrested On Campus". Channel 9 News Dunedin. 10 July 2008. http://ch9.co.nz/content/university-otago-students-arrested-campus. 
11. ^ "Norml exposes cops on campus". Otago Daily Times. 23 July 2008. http://www.odt.co.nz/on-campus/university-otago/14478/norml-exposes-undercover-cops-campus.