Mycology

Oakland Church Gives Out Cannabis And Psychedelics As ‘Sacrament.’ Now, It’s Suing Over A Police Raid

The suit sets the stage for a legal battle that tests the limits of religious freedoms

An East Oakland church that promotes the use of psychedelic plants and cannabis to connect with God filed a civil rights suit against Oakland over a police raid two years ago.

The Zide Door Church of Entheogenic Plants filed a lawsuit Friday in federal court alleging that the city, the Oakland Police Department and an Oakland police officer violated the First and 14th amendments by discriminating against the church’s religious beliefs, according to the complaint.

The complaint stems from a 2020 incident in which Oakland police raided the nondescript beige building at 1216 10th Ave. near East 12th Street and confiscated about $200,000 worth of mushrooms and cannabis and some cash. The sworn affidavit, attached in the complaint, states that police swarmed the church after receiving reports that it was operating as a cannabis dispensary without a permit.

To Read The Rest Of This Article On SF Chronicle, Click Here

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Exotic Blvd
To Top