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A number of confrontations between Campus Watch, the Police and Otago NORML’s 4:20 protests have left speculations rife that the University is attempting to remove the protest group from Campus. A recent incident culminated in Police almost trespassing a member of NORML after he was mistakenly identified as a non-student smoking on Campus with the group after Police were called to assist Campus Watch.

Otago NORML smokesperson Abe Gray indicated to Critic that on two occasions, 9 April and 11 April, Campus Watch arrived and “started harassing people saying they’d had a complaint people were smoking.” Gray said the first incident, which he was not present at, involved Campus Watch threatening to trespass those without IDs and “a bunch of people flee because of the intimidation.”

A second and similar incident occurred two days later. Gray arrived 20 minutes late to the Friday protest and “thought something was off.” Gray said a member of Campus Watch indicated to him that there was a “direct order” from the VC, with the intention of removing the 4:20 club from campus.

Police were then called after protestors refused to move and pass on details. Gray then noticed an officer filling out a trespass order for Julian Crawford, leader of the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party, who had arrived with Gray. “For some reason Campus Watch had said that was one of the guys smoking.” He said the confusion was a case of “mistaken identity because of [Crawford’s] jacket” and the order was ripped up when Campus Watch verified Crawford was not one of the offending smokers. “It was, like, that close,” said Gray.

Whether the University is attempting to shut down the protests was not addressed by the University in a statement to Critic. Director of Student Services David Richardson indicated that a complaint regarding the incident was made and investigated and “further inquiries are underway, with the Police and the Proctor involved.” He said the Proctor would deal with students in breach of the University’s Code of Conduct, while issues concerning non-students would be a police matter.

Gray said that, since the incident, the protest group have been more cautious, but that “if the University would just acknowledge us and work with us, then we would like that.” Since the incident, protests now have “more responsible organisers,” but Gray did acknowledge that they can’t police everyone. “We will definitely tell anyone smoking tobacco to put it out. But it’s kind of awkward when people passing through smoking stop to talk to us.”