Report from Alva
There was a very low turnout of only 3 people at the protest this year despite my best efforts to get my community involved. After 5 months of preparation and hard work the protest in Alva didn't Last long.Thanks to what i feel was a major Violation of our Civil Rights by the Woods County Sheriffs Department. First a Sheriffs Deputy came over and said,"Get your things and get off the lawn now. You cant be on County Property,Get off the lawn and don't let me catch you on it again or i will arrest you" He was obviously angered at our presence.. He then took a poster down that I had regretfully placed on a peace of city property and started walking off with it,when i asked him if i could have it back he said, "its mine now" And about 45 minutes to an hour later Someone from the Woods County Commissioners Office came by along with another Sheriffs Deputy. They had a letter that stated we could not be on County Property without insurance.. Then the Sheriff Deputy told us we had to be at least 21 feet from the corners of the streets. I already felt violated by the fact the first officer stole my sign and said we couldn't be on the lawn. then to come at me with this bogus letter about insurance,and some crud about being 21 foot from the curb. It was all just a bunch of B.S. to snub us out and make it hard for us to protest.. I told the officer "we are just trying to have a peaceful protest and its the damn police that aren't being peaceful" So we went and talked to our Lawyer and found out that they indeed could not stop us from being on the lawn or from having our protest. He said if insurance was the issue then everyone who stepped on the lawn would have to have it,And our Right to protest laws we don't like is a protected Right.. we also have a Right to Free Speech.. I have two words that come to mind about this hole situation "TYRANNY AND OPPRESSION" "To stand in silence when they should be protesting makes cowards out of men. " -Abraham Lincoln
A small Marijuana Protest in Alva Oklahoma didn't last long due to the Sheriffs Department and a newly formed coalition calling its self the " Woods County Coalition" Who in an article in the local news paper vowed to "FIGHT" the planned marijuana Protest in Alva. And even listed the prior Drug Arrest Record of (Keary Prophet) the organizer of the protest in an attempt to smear his name and his credibility.. Alvas' Sheriffs Department was happy to assist the Woods County Coalition in the "FIGHT" to stop the Protest it seems. Trying every thing from telling the Protesters they could not be on the Courthouse Lawn and making them move to the sidewalk area then saying they had to be at least 21 feet away from the corner of the street,and then they produced a letter that said the Protesters had to have insurance coverage.. The Protesters Lawyer informed them there was no legality in the letter as far as he could tell and that the Sheriffs Department could not prevent them from protesting on the courthouse lawn.
Written By: Keary Prophet on May 7th 2007.