For more than 20 years the University of Colorado has the been the focal point for the unofficial pot smoking holiday known as 4/20 – which is this Friday, April 20th at 4:20 pm.
University officials call the annual event a “distraction” and they are taking extra efforts this year to crack down on those planning to light up.
The CU Student Government is organizing an alternative event as well in the form of a free concert from Wyclef Jean at the Coors Event Center. The free concert is for students only and is hoped to be an alternative to discourage students from the event.
On Thursday morning Boulder Attorney Robert Corry Jr. filed an emergency, temporary restraining order in Boulder District Court asking the court to prohibit CU from closing the campus to the public. Corry says he filed the complaint on behalf of non-student community members who want to attend the event.
KUNC’s Jackie Fortier has more in the audio clip above.
Update 4/20/2012 7:20am: After a judge ruled last night that CU had the right to close the campus, facilities personnel and campus police have started putting measures in place to quash the annual event.
Via Twitter this morning at 6:42am:
Something's fishy: Fish fertilizer being sprayed on campus Quad to keep protesters off the lawn for #CU420. http://t.co/njUl4MaE
— Gil Asakawa (@GilAsakawa) April 20, 2012
CU campus police were on station early in the morning as well at 4:20am to prevent any smokers from celebrating.
CUPD cars on Norlin at 4:21 a.m. (CUI/Robert R. Denton) #cu420 pic.twitter.com/iEIiVMzB
— Rob Denton (@robertrdenton) April 20, 2012
The Boulder Daily Camera has more this morning on the bid to stop 420 at CU. KUNC's Jackie Fortier will be reporting from the Boulder Campus later today as well. You can also follow on Twitter via the hashtag #CU420 as critics, reporters and supporters have been chiming in on the trending tag since yesterday.
Fertilizer can be smelled from the west side of campus near the hill. #CU420 pic.twitter.com/iJa4oZZH
— Rob Denton (@robertrdenton) April 20, 2012
KUNC Digital Media Manager Jim Hill contributed to the web version of this story.