Denver 420 Rally Bust Total: 32 Marijuana Citations, Sixteen Other Arrests, Tickets

The Denver Police Department provided Westword with the final total of arrests and/or citations for the 2017 version of the Denver 4/20 Rally. The numbers are considerably higher than what was initially reported — twenty citations and five arrests — but fewer than in previous years when the festival was held on a weekend and sometimes covered multiple days.

By Michael Roberts

April 21, 2017

Image: A pair of Denver 420 Rally attendees interacting with police.

A pair of Denver 420 Rally attendees interacting with police. Brandon Marshall

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Moments ago, the Denver Police Department provided Westword with the final total of arrests and/or citations for the 2017 version of the Denver 420 Rally.

The numbers are considerably higher than those initially reported — twenty citations and five arrests — but fewer than in previous years, when the festival was held on a weekend and sometimes covered multiple days.

The department now says 32 citations were written for public consumption of marijuana, with sixteen other violations that resulted in tickets or arrests.

Here's the DPD list:

32 Consumption of Marijuana
2 Marijuana Distribution (Misdemeanor)
1 Possession of a Controlled Substance
1 Warrant
1 DUS (Driving Under Suspension)
1 Alcohol
1 Licensing
1 Drug Paraphernalia
8 Guard License Violations

The DPD also provided an update on a report of gunfire near the intersection of Cleveland Place and 15th Street, just north of Civic Center Park, where the rally took place. Originally, two individuals were said to have been taken into custody after the incident, during which no one was hurt. Now a department representative writes via e-mail, "We contacted two parties who may have been involved. We are continuing to investigate the incident."

Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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