Police say Hempstock broke gathering, noise rules

STARKS – Maine State Police said the 11th annual Hempstock pro-marijuana festival broke local ordinances for mass gatherings and may have violated state laws as well.

State police spokesman Stephen McCausland said a state police detective videotaped the festival grounds about 6 p.m. Saturday. Officers will review the tape this week to determine how many people were in attendance at the time, and review their findings with the local district attorney.

A local Starks ordinance passed earlier this year limits public gatherings to no more than 750 people for six hours. State law requires a permit for gatherings of 2,000 or more people for 12 hours.

“There is no doubt the local ordinance was violated,” McCausland said. “But we don’t have a head count on whether the state law was violated. It’s going to be close.”

Hempstock organizer Don Christen could not be reached immediately for comment.

Hempstock is an annual four-day festival to advocate for the legalization of marijuana. It features music and merchandise and is held on a farm in the remote town of Starks in northern Somerset County.

The town this year passed an ordinance to limit the crowds and the noise. Noise levels must be no louder than 70 decibels during the day and 45 decibels after 10 p.m.

Maine State Police also warned that they would step up their presence and set up roadblocks on roads leading into Starks.

State police Lt. Dale Lancaster said the festival exceeded the town’s legal noise limits.

McCausland said he didn’t have an exact count of arrests or citations that were issued, but said police issued several summonses for drug possession and illegal possession of alcohol by minors. They also made a couple of drunken-driving arrests.

Additionally, police responded to a report of a sexual assault on a 21-year-old woman at 3 a.m. Sunday. Police interviewed the woman and two men, but no arrests were made.