August 23, 2010 – Hilo, Hawaii
Video by David Corrigan
Over 200 supporters of Roger Christie rallied at the Mooheau bandstand in Hilo, Hawaii on Wednesday. Christie, who founded the THC-Ministry in Hilo where he says he shared the sacrament of cannabis with members, was arrested in July for running what federal authorities called a “large scale” marijuana business.
The situation has apparently mobilized followers of Christie’s beliefs, who see the ministry bust as an assault on their freedoms. During the rally, speakers directed angry remarks towards law enforcement, and the few county police officers who were quietly monitoring the gathering from the bayfront parking lot. After the bandstand rally, marijuana advocates marched to the Hilo federal building to protest Christie’s incarceration.
Christie is currently being held federal detention center without bail, where he awaits an April 2011 trial. In all, 14 people were arrested for their alleged connections to the THC-Ministry.