A Cannabis Themed Art Show Was Raided By Police Despite All The Cannabis Being Fake

A cannabis-themed art exhibition in Sydney was subject to a police raid on April 20, after reports alleged illegal drug activity. Officers attended the event at Brave Gallery in Surry Hills but made no arrests after determining that the cannabis on display was not real.

The exhibition, titled Who Are We Hurting, ran from April 18 to 21 and was organised by the Who Are We Hurting collective, an Australian-based activist group known for combining visual art, public interventions and media campaigns to challenge cannabis prohibition. The collective, led by Will Stolk and Alec “Craze” Zammitt, has operated for nearly a decade, using what it describes as “large-scale public interventions, visual activism, and media-driven campaigns” to draw attention to drug law reform. This included projecting images and pro-cannabis messages onto the sails of the Opera House.

According to organisers, police responded on the evening of April 20 following complaints that cannabis was being used or distributed at the exhibition. After inspecting the premises, officers confirmed that all substances present were theatrical props used as part of the artistic installation. “All cannabis featured in the exhibition was purely prop based and formed part of the artistic presentation,” organisers said. “No arrests were made and no individuals were detained.”

The exhibition featured large-scale installations, performance works and a central “detention-style” environment intended to reflect experiences associated with cannabis policing in Australia. The event also attracted a high-profile audience, including figures from reality television, radio and sport, some of whom were present during the police attendance.

Organisers said the incident aligned with the themes of the exhibition. “What was intended as a cultural gathering quickly became a live demonstration of the themes the exhibition was built around,” they said. They added that “what was meant to be a controlled artistic experience became a real time reflection of the issues they have been highlighting for years.”

April 20, often referred to as 4/20, is internationally associated with cannabis culture and is commonly used as a day for advocacy and protest relating to drug law reform.

The Who Are We Hurting collective described the exhibition as part of its ongoing effort to examine the social impact of cannabis prohibition in Australia.