Coronavirus Curbs Denver's Civic Center Park 4/20 Celebration

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DENVER (CBS4) - There were plenty of police on hand, but not many others at Civic Center Park in Denver on April 20 -- also known as 4/20. Thousands would typically gather at the park to smoke marijuana.

"We wanted to come to the 4/20 rally. I've been coming to these rallies since the late 80s, early 90s," said Charles Chinn as he stood practically alone in Denver's Civic Center Park.

(credit: CBS)

But he found the park closed, shut down, to prevent just the type of crowded gathering that the virus would love.

Miguel Lopez, who has organized many of the past 4/20 events explained, "You have people putting a joint in their mouth, you see my fingers touching my mouth and then they pass it to a friend."

Despite the health hazards, there were observations of this unofficial marijuana celebration. People replenished their supplies to take part wherever suited them best at marijuana dispensaries excluded from shutdown orders.

(credit: CBS)

Normally at precisely 4:20 p.m. on 4/20 there would be a 3-2-1 countdown, a giant cheer, and a large cloud of smoke would rise into the air.

Here is what happened at exactly 4:20 PM on 4/20/20 in what would have been marijuana filled Civic Center Park in Denver. pic.twitter.com/2UqHTDj4hC
— Rick Sallinger (@ricksallinger) April 20, 2020

But this year the only weeds visible were with the grass on the park lawn. Denver's police chief Paul Pazen and Lopez recorded a video tweeted together urging people to stay at home. Both are now expressing their thanks to all those who did just that.