Court Room
[VOICE NARRATOR]: A couple weeks later Tarik got a subpoena to defend himself in court about the possession of 22 hemp plants. This came after the notification from the landlord which stated that he had to evacuate immediately due to the violation of the lease. He would not honor this notification, ended up in court and lost that case, which he didn't mind at all.
PREPARING CASE
The second trial against the Kingdom of the Netherlands was the one he was preparing for and he had his defense all worked out. That morning he shaved, wore some of his fanciest clothes and took the train to the city where the court was settled. He was ready to represent himself in the case of the 22 hemp plants.
In his deepest desires he would love the idea that he would win the case and form a legal base for people in the Netherlands to cultivate hemp to the degree of 22 plants without any hassle from the police.
WINNING THE CASE (SORT OFF)
He explained his case to the judge so passionately that the judge in a state of absolute overwhelming ignored the stupid arguments of the district attorney and favored the courage's boy granted him with a clearance and a free to cultivate pass to the degree of 22 hemp plants.
The verdict on that day was such a event that the courtroom and the surroundings was in no-time filled with journalists, wanting to interview the young man. People all over the city heard the news and hasted to the tribunal. There they would form an ocean of people where they congratulated Tarik and held him high above their shoulders. People started to have a smoke-in, while others started a barbecue and others were playing music.
CELEBRATING THE FREE CANNABIS (SLOW MOTION) – BACKGROUND MUSIC – BOB MARLEY – ONE LOVE
Suddenly Tarik started to question the authenticity of this reality. Out of the blue he started to hear the voice of calling the city Breda. This was his stop, he fell asleep in the train on his way to the court room. It was just a dream, he realized. Filled with hope he got up to make his dream a reality.He started assessing the judge, the district attorney and listened to the judge reading out the charges he was accused of.
THE COURTROOM (FOR REAL)
In his bag he had some evidence concerning the unjust handling of hemp cultivating people. The judge asked him if he would acknowledge the cultivation of the hemp plants.
[TARIK]: Yes Your Honor, I did that. But let’s not forget that it was an experiment and that I mixed the strains: industrial and medical hemp plants.
[VOICE NARRATOR]: Where the judge vastly replied that it is forbidden to do so.
[TARIK]: But Your Honor, I did it because I don’t see how the laws that prohibits the cultivation of hemp are something just. On the contrary the law favored big criminal gangs to jack up the prices, while endangering my fellow men, and stealing electricity”
[VOICE NARRATOR]: The judge was surprised by the ideological drive of the young man and gave the floor to the District Attorney. The district attorney was a good-looking, blond lady with a heart so cold that Tarik got chills over his body while she spoke regarding the case. Giving birth to speculation and exaggeration with every word that left her mouth.
PROFILE DISTRICT ATTORNEY
She would talk about the case as if Tarik was some kind of punk with vast amounts of drugs money. She would furthermore jack up the amount of plants to win the case. Using evidence that was directly destroyed by the police, illustrates the default of the judicial system.
She also demanded that Tarik would pay a fine of 300 Eur for cultivating plant as a gesture that he would not repeat his actions.
Filled with emotions Tarik started to talk about why he did what he did:
[TARIK]: I did it for my chickens and my turkey so that I could feed them gmo-free seeds. I did it because I wanted to change the law with this case as a legal base. I did so that future hemp growers would grow in peace instead of paranoia. I did it so that the Dutch people could destroy the need of criminal gangs endangering people with unsafe weed farms stealing electricity. I did so that I could benefit from the diversity that hemp offers. I did it because I loved the taste of fair own-grown hemp. I did it because my religion doesn’t forbid it. I did it because I found the cultivation of hemp very therapeutically after a hard day’s work as an IT- guy. I did it because I felt cured from depression and anxiety while using hemp. I did it because it helped me to write, invent and assess certain sciences that mainstream scientists hold as valid. I did not do it for the money and if I were I would not be working 5 days a week doing something I don’t really like. I did it because I believed in my dream that I could change the world by following my heart. I did it because I still believe that my actions shall not be easily forgotten, at least not in my mind or the minds of those who have read my story on my blog. I did it because I believe it didn't hurt anyone. Not more than the cultivating of some garlic strings. I did it because I wanted to make a change and give the judicial system a clear signal that I’m fed up with the oppression of the those who would not leave me alone.
[VOICE NARRATOR]: The judge was amazed by the hemp-rant gave Tarik a signal that his standpoint was clearly understood.
While the judge and the district attorney whispers about the case, Tarik dives under the table and gets his sack of hemp seeds that he just bought from a local farm shop.
After the short break the judge asked Tarik if he would like to conclude his defense about the case. He gladly accepted and started by presenting the sack of hemp seed.
[TARIK]: Your Honor, I brought with me this bag of hemp seeds which I legally purchased at a local farm shop. How could this be here in my presence if the law was equal to all? Why is that certain farmers don’t get harassed by police raiding their crops and other do get harassed? What is it that makes the district attorney so eager to downgrade my actions as something criminal and demanding for a fine that I cannot and will not pay. I have lost my house, my chickens and my turkey. I paid the lawyers-fee when losing the case for my house. My family is kind of mad at me, not for cultivating but for being caught cultivating while the latter was my intention. I knew that this confrontation soon or later would come about. And that this confrontation could lead to a change of manners regarding the growing of hemp plants. And if not I would not blame myself for not trying to do so.
[VOICE NARRATOR]: The judge smiled while reading the verdict, due to the eagerness of Tarik to make a change.
[JUDGE]: Due to the minor offense of your actions, the reasons for cultivation and the loss of your properties and home. I hereby sentence you to eight hours’ worth of community service.
[VOICE NARRATOR]: Just after hearing the sentence Tarik would fight the verdict, but seeing the unwillingness in the eyes of the judge to change the already spoken verdict, he packs his stuff and left the courtroom. Deprived from the vision he had, he walked to a nearby coffee shop to lighten his spirit and contemplate his next move.