WATCH: Avi Yemini CONFRONTS the biggest waste of police resources

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• By Avi Yemini

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Melbourne's Flagstaff Gardens saw a gathering of individuals pushing for the legalisation of cannabis in a rally organised by Australian Drug Law Reform Advocate 'Ancient Jay'.

The event took place despite the heavy police presence, with a makeshift police station set up 250 metres away from the protest.

Jay, the event organiser, questioned the allocation of police resources towards monitoring the protest, given the rising rates of home invasions and other violent crimes in Victoria.

The aim of the rally was to highlight the disparity between the government's promotion of medical cannabis and the ongoing criminalisation of recreational use.

During the event, participants discussed the widespread use of cannabis in the medical field and how various state governments are profiting from its sales.

However, in Victoria, Jay claims there is still a cannabis arrest rate of 1.3 per hour. Critics argue that this is a waste of police resources that could be directed towards solving crimes directly impacting the community.

Data released last week revealed 85 per cent of non-aggravated residential burglaries in 2022 remain unsolved, while 64 per cent of motor vehicle thefts and 60 per cent of aggravated burglaries are unsolved.

According to Jay, legalising cannabis would lead to a decrease in minor offences and free up police resources to tackle more serious crimes. He cited the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) as an example, where crime rates have dropped since the legalisation of cannabis for personal use.

Despite the police presence, the event remained peaceful, with attendees engaging in discussions about the potential benefits of legalising cannabis.

One event attendee shared their experience of being stopped and searched by the police twice in one day, while many other participants expressed their concern about the unresolved violent crimes in the state.

The event, which culminated in a symbolic moment of participants lighting up their joints or bongs simultaneously, was intended to demonstrate the harmlessness of cannabis use and question the allocation of police resources towards its criminalisation.