[URBAN NOTE] Four links on the Toronto police raids on marijuana dispensaries yesterday

[rfmcdonald]

The Toronto Star's David Rider and and Christopher Reynolds covered the raids yesterday in "Toronto police and drug squad raid marijuana dispensaries"

Toronto police raided dozens of medical marijuana dispensaries Thursday, sometimes kicking in glass doors, after condemnation from Mayor John Tory and written warnings from city staff about adhering to current laws failed to halt the free flow of pot.

Officers swooped down with warrants on locations from Kensington Market to the Danforth, laying charges and leaving with bags of drugs, iPads and other seized items.

Some residents passing the storefronts thanked police, while others called it a waste of time as Ottawa prepares to legalize recreational marijuana next year.

Police, who worked with city licensing staff, refused to say how many shops were raided, how many people were charged, whether the charges involve city bylaw infractions or Criminal Code offences, or how much marijuana was seized, in what was dubbed “Project Claudia.” The city said licensing officials visited 45 storefronts.

Chief Mark Saunders will disclose details Friday morning, Const. Caroline de Kloet said, adding that the raids “targeted various locations that have been identified as trafficking in marijuana outside of the marijuana-for-medical-use regulations.”

Vice's Manisha Krishnan reported from the scene of one of the raids.

VICE witnessed two plain-clothed officers raiding Eden dispensary on Queen Street West at around 1 PM Thursday.

Inside, at least eight employees sat in handcuffs while cops went through the product inside, placing large quantities of bud into large plastic bags. They were also using scales and cameras to conduct the raid.

Read More: With Trudeau About to Legalize Pot, Why are We Still Arresting People?

An employee with the city's licensing department also showed up, but said he could not comment on the situation. Speaking to an officer and an employee in cuffs, he said he would need a "declaration."

Eden customer "Pastel Supernova" who stopped by to pick up some weed was surprised when she realized a raid was taking place. She told VICE the dispensary is clean, friendly, and knowledgeable. "I just think it's lame, there are bigger crimes," she said of the crackdown.

NOW Toronto's Michelle Da Silva spoke with the manager of one dispensary on the Danforth.

We have a number of products, not only cannabis. We have oils, tinctures, edibles, other alternatives when patients can’t smoke or don’t want to get high but still need the healing powers of medicinal marijuana. The only thing we’re being charged for is anything with marijuana in it.

I’ve been answering the phone calls today, I’ve been informing all of our customers what has happened. It’s unfortunate that we had to tell them that temporarily, they’ll have to find medicine at a different location. Most likely they would run to the streets, which is very harmful and scary for me. I’m quite sad. When they took all of our products, they were mixing the bags. I can’t sell that no more. When people are looking for a specific type to treat a specific treatment or condition, now I’m unable to offer our services until we reassess and buy new products.

Global News was one of the many sources reporting on the appearance of protesters at Toronto police chief Mark Saunders' press conference today.

Saunders was repeatedly interrupted by protesters who questioned the motivation for police to shut down the dispensaries and the evidence behind the claims the chief made.

“Is that an assumption or do you actually have documentation from hospitals and stuff?” one protester shouted.

“These clubs have literally been around for 20 years and literally the medical marijuana has been around for hundreds of years and have literally never killed anybody. So how do you justify that there’s a health concern when really it’s the most benign substance you can ingest?”

Saunders attempted to respond to the barrage of questions as protesters, including marijuana legalization advocate Jodie Emery, shouted over him.

“You have 54, 55 complaints but what about the thousands of people that these clubs are helping? Where do you suggest that these people go today?” the unidentified protester said.