After the various movements of the World Cannabis March last week across France and the world, Paris had its own parade on May 14th. Atmosphere and sensations at the heart of a peaceful march.

A slightly different subway exit than usual at Bastille. On the outskirts of the Opéra, groups of people are waiting for the last arrivals to join the slowly forming mass. «It smells like your junk from here», says a granny trying to cross the square. As we approach the musical float, the stairs of the Opéra Bastille on the right are filled with people.

A roadside stand distributes leaflets raising awareness of the potential legalization of hemp and cannabis. For a fee, you have access to all French-language literature on the green plant.  Hemp, the dream cannabis with a thousand uses by Alexis Chanebeau was available for 19€. One of the organizers confided to me that the event was much better attended than last year. According to the organizers, some 3,000 people attended the Comité Ad'Hoc pour l'Organisation de la Marche Mondiale du Cannabis 2016 à Paris.

At 2.45pm, the first van opened the way for the procession on boulevard Beaumarchais. Only one of the two lanes is allocated to the demonstration, while the second, towards Bastille, remains open to traffic.

As the minutes pass around the float, we discover a precocious audience (17 /22 years old) who come more to celebrate cannabis consumption than to challenge the government's policy of repression. Set to high-beat-per-minute electro music, the demonstrators roll joint after joint, walking, sitting and even dancing. Local residents come out onto their balconies, cheered by the crowd, to savor the massive THC effluvia given off by the 2,000-strong crowd. The Boulevard Beaumarchais shopkeepers, with smiles on their faces, stand on the sidewalk to take photos of the most original event of the year. Except for the dry cleaner, who was subjected to a veritable aquarium. Unlucky for her, the float slowed down right in front of her window. A relaxed atmosphere on the opposite sidewalk, as passers-by and tourists take selfies. Rue Charles Luizet, a stone's throw from the Filles du Calvaire metro stop, marks a turning point for all pasty mouths and stomachs clamoring for their rewards. A Supermarket!!! Entire parade lines branch off towards the supermarket to replenish their supplies.

«P2 for anyone with a cigarette»

Around 4 p.m., the sun envelops the parade, which proceeds without incident. On the sidewalks, every space and every bench is used to roll firecrackers, and the various groups gather around, catching any survivors who are a little lost. The announcer tries, unsuccessfully, to excite the procession crowd with a #parisjuana but the electro float is much more popular. The shortage of gear is making itself felt, so we scrape together leaves and fags to enjoy this moment of freedom, although we don't yet know how the authorities will welcome us on the Place de la République.

The arrival at Place de la République fragmented the procession. The float remained blocked at the entrance to the square. Pedestrians follow the march leaders« signs. Mobile food vendors seize the opportunity to get closer to the cannabis marchers. Before long, we're hearing »how much is a skewer? The float finally manages to position itself opposite a red communist flag rally and to the left of a pro-Palestinian movement.

There were no outbursts of violence, and the police forces kept a tight rein on this peaceful demonstration. We look forward to seeing more of you next year.

Théo Caillart

Photo Credit: @Ridershow and Legalization-Sweet