Members of Antigua and Barbuda's Rastafarian community staged a peaceful protest outside the St. John's Police Station on Saturday, calling for an end to the imprisonment of individuals charged with minor cannabis-related offences.
According to Antigua News Room, demonstrators dressed in white and carried Rastafarian flags as they urged authorities to adopt a different approach to minor marijuana offences, arguing that current enforcement practices are out of step with broader regional conversations about drug law reform.
Protesters contended that some individuals remain incarcerated for marijuana offences despite growing support across the Caribbean for decriminalization and increased recognition of cannabis' religious and cultural significance within the Rastafarian faith.
The group also called for a formal review of existing laws, maintaining that imprisonment should not serve as the primary response to minor marijuana-related offences. Organizers described the demonstration as part of a wider campaign for legal reform and greater recognition of Rastafarian rights in Antigua and Barbuda.
