Marco Pannella

THE TRANSNATIONAL RADICAL PARTY ADHERES TO THE ANTIPROHIBITIONNIST MARCH SPONSORED BY THE "INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY" AND ORGANIZES AN "RADICAL EUROPEAN ANTIPROHIBITIONNIST DELEGATION"

Next March 28 is a very important day for the european antiprohibitionnism: a march for the decriminalization of cannabis sponsored by the "Independent on Sunday" will take place in London.

The cortege will start at 12.00 o'clock at Hyde Park and will go, through the centre, up to Trafalgar Square, where several speakers will take the floor: Rosie Boycott, editor of "The Independent on Sunday"; Howard Marks, leader of the antiprohibitionnism in the UK; Paul Flynn, Labour MP; Marco Pannella, founding leader of the italian and european antiprohibitionnism, Olivier Dupuis, MEP and General secretary of the Transnational Radical Party and the MEPs Gianfranco Dell'Alba, Raimondo Fassa, Ernesto Caccavale.

This event is the opening of a series of demonstrations that will take place all over Europe and the World in view of the Special Session of the UN General Assembly of June 8-10 on the revision of the International Conventions on Drugs.

The goal is to push the governments to reform their policies and their legislations on drugs in an antiprohibitionnist sense at a national, european and international level, starting from decriminalizing cannabis.

The Transnational Radical Party, one of the first organizations to adhere to this march, will organize a "european radical antiprohibitionnist delegation", that will give to the demonstration a european breath thus reinforcing the nonviolent, militant and transnational struggle for the legalization of drugs.

Emma Bonino (actually European Commissioner) and Jean Fabre smoking an marijuana cigarette, during a press conference for the legalization of the marijuana (1979)

Francesco Rutelli (actually mayor of Rome) during an antiprohibition demonstration (1988)

Emma Bonino arrested in New York after distributing some clean needles (1990)

Marco Pannella shows a piece of hashish during a press conference. In that time having drugs was a crime in Italy, Pannella was imprisoned and from there begun a fight in order to change the law. He went out from prison after 9 days when he was sure that the law should be changed. (1975)

Franco Corleone (actually vice-minister of Justice), with a marijuana plant on this hand. (1987)

Rita Bernardini (member of the General Council of the TRP) arrested during an antiprohibition demonstration, after distributing hasish (1997)

(...) It was also confirmed last week that Europe's "father" of non-violent political demonstrations, Marco Pannella, the founder of the Italian Radical Party, is to march and speak at the rally in Trafalgar Square. Mr Pannella, a close colleague of European Commissioner, Emma Bonnino, who also supports our campaign, has been battling for the abolition of criminal penalties for cannabis use for 25 years. He will be accompanied by supporters from Italy, France, and Belgium and by a group of MEPs including Gianfranco Dell'Alba and the leader of the Transnational Radical Party, Oliver Dupuis, who will also speak at the rally.(...)