Vancouver authorities say they aren't aware of any unsanctioned 420 events planned for April 20 this year, but will adjust their deployment if needed.
In past years, unsanctioned cannabis demonstrations at Sunset Beach have caused extensive turf damage that required months of remediation. The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) also previously told V.I.A. attendees left ample litter, although previous event organizers refuted those claims.
Const. Tania Visintin says the VPD isn't aware of any public demonstrations or events this year, but the department will respond if that changes.
"Our planning section is constantly monitoring social media and will add or adjust deployment should we become aware of any protests," she told V.I.A.
"We respect people’s rights to peacefully protest, but should any action become criminal in nature, officers will intervene."
In an emailed statement, the City of Vancouver told V.I.A. that city and Park Board staff, along with the VPD, and the province, TransLink, and Public Health, are "actively monitoring the situation" and will coordinate a response if needed.
"As in prior years, the collective focus will be on public safety, respectful use of shared spaces, and minimizing community impacts," the city noted in its statement.
Demonstrators avoided the 2023 Sunset Beach 420 event
Police presence at the planned, unsanctioned 420 event in April 2024 at Sunset Beach kept demonstrators away, although other people attended smaller protests across the city.
The 2023 event was a source of myriad controversy, partially because of park damages and litter and because vendors felt they were scammed by one of the main organizers, World Cannabis founder Robert Moore. They said he sold space that no one technically owns the rights to since it is an unsanctioned event. They felt misled by him and said he was dismissive when they tried to recoup their money.
Despite Canada's legalization of cannabis in 2018, the city's 420 gatherings draw marijuana enthusiasts from across the Lower Mainland. Many of them say they are protesting Canada's current cannabis regime, which Moore believes suppresses minority users and has several restrictive guidelines.
