MassCann[Norml] was originally granted only a one-day permit for its Freedom Rally–a.k.a.”Hempfest”–held in the Boston Common over the weekend. That changed last Friday.
The Freedom Rally was scheduled for Sept. 14 and Sept. 15, but a city permit threatened to completely wipeout Sunday’s planned events. According the Boston Herald, MassCann — which filed an injunction regarding the one-day permit issued just eight days before the rally — was granted a shortened second day.
MassCann made history when it was granted a permit for Sunday following Friday’s injunction hearing; it marked the first time the annual rally was allowed to operate for two days.
According to a Boston Magazine report, MassCann organizers had no intentions of canceling Sunday’s rally, regardless of the court’s ruling.
“[We] will still put on both days of the rally, permit or no permit,” according to a MassCann statement.
Saturday’s events started at 12 p.m. and ran until 6 p.m. Sunday’s events started at noon and were cut short at 3:30 p.m.
On Monday, MassCann thanked those in attendance over the weekend:
We want to thank everyone who came out and made this weekend the BEST Freedom Rally ever!! History has been made, Boston!! xoxo, Lilith
— MassCann/NORML (@MassCann) September 16, 2013
Sunday’s abbreviated schedule didn’t stop a large crowd of supporters from staging their own “4:20 countdown,” however.
Sunday’s Freedom Rally 420 Countdown
MassCann also promised a future event:
4/20/2014 – 4:20pm – Boston Common See You There!
— MassCann/NORML (@MassCann) September 16, 2013