Montreal police raided several new Cannabis Culture dispensaries Friday evening, apparently without a warrant.
The news broke over Facebook where Cannabis Culture went live. Cannabis Culture co-owner Jodie Emery also tweeted the news:
RAID HAPPENING right now, 1863 Amherst @CannabisCulture location is being flooded with cops – this is NOT a drill. #Montreal SHAME on @SPVM!
— Jodie Emery (@JodieEmery) December 16, 2016
Hearing that police at also at another location win NO WARRANT https://t.co/Lf2VkCB9a1
— Jodie Emery (@JodieEmery) December 16, 2016
Her husband, Marc Emery, was arrested at the Mont-Royal Avenue location, along with a still-unknown number of staff members.
“This arrest is wrong, and the prohibition is wrong, and the prime minister is a disgrace,” Emery reportedly shouted as police arrested him. A crowd quickly began chanting: “Free Marc Emery.”
Jodie later shared her husband and business partner’s arrest on Instagram. She doesn’t know yet if a warrant is out for her arrest as well.
Sources told the Montreal Gazette that undercover officers had been surveilling the store just hours after opening yesterday.
Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre said there would be “zero tolerance” for unregulated vendors. Police have previously raided Cannabis Culture locations in Toronto, Hamilton and Peterborough. Many reopened within days.