Dana Larsen Continues Overgrow Tour After Calgary Arrest

Dana Larsen has continued his cross Canada tour into Edmonton without incident, after Calgary police arrested him on Wednesday.

On Facebook Larsen thanked his supporters and said he was fine after being charged by police with one count of trafficking marijauana and one count of possession with the purpose of trafficking.

The Overgrow Canada campaign continues,” Larsen wrote. “I am in Edmonton tonight for my event and all weekend for the NDP convention. Then Saskatoon and beyond.”

Larsen said, due to bail conditions, he is unable to personally distribute cannabis seeds to attendees but said they can still receive them at the events from others, or by mail on his website.

Larsen doubled the amount of seeds he planned to distribute to two million, due to the overwhelming response to the project.

In a video press conference released by the Calgary Police Service, a representative said authorities seized Larsen’s van along with 119 g of cannabis valued at $1,190, 1,097 g marijauana seeds worth $30,000 and a small amount of cannabis resin oil.

“Despite a high profile presence of uniformed police officers, a rally organizer began distributing marijuana seeds to members of the audience,” said Insp. Mike Bossley. “As the seeds ran out, a man went to a van to retrieve more stock at which time he was arrested and taken into custody.”

After the arrest was made, Larsen and others from the event came outside where Larsen was arrested by police after refusing to stop distributing cannabis seeds.

“Everybody has the right to have a peaceful conversation and demonstration, so we allowed that process to take place,’ said Bossley. “As that process took place, we recognized that the seeds that were being trafficked, essentially, it was articulated that they were, in fact, marijauana seeds, and then, as more and more information came to light, then officers took the actions they did.”

The police said they believed that they took the appropriate action in order to keep the peace at the event.

“We want them to have a peaceful event, but if it’s involved in trafficking then that would be unacceptable,” said Bossley. “Under the controlled drugs and substances act it is illegal to traffic marijauana in any form, regardless of if payment is provided.”

Larsen told the Calgary Herald that the arrest brought him more attention for the tour.

“This kind of police overreaction just gets people worked up, and gets me in the media all across the country,” Larsen said.

A supporter posted a video of Larsen in Edmonton, and wrote that there was no police presence in that city.