The organizers of Cannabis Day, an annual anti-prohibition protest in downtown Vancouver, have vowed to move forward despite receiving a cease-and-desist letter from the city.

The event, which coincides with Canada Day, is a smaller-scale version of the massive 4/20 gathering held every year, and takes place at the same public space behind the Vancouver Art Gallery.

But like 4/20, Cannabis Day has grown popular enough to warrant stages, booths and tents – something city officials have warned would violate multiple bylaws.

“An event of this nature must be appropriately permitted,” deputy city manager Sadhu Johnston said in a June 9 cease-and-desist letter.

Johnston added that the city would be happy to help organizers through the permitting process, but said obtaining a permit requires proof of insurance, a site plan, and funding for police, sanitation and other costs.

Marijuana advocate Jodie Emery said they’ve been holding Cannabis Day at the same location for decades without causing any trouble, and they’re not about to stop.

“They’d like us to move the event elsewhere, but unfortunately this is a protest,” Emery said.

“We’re going to be there peacefully protesting prohibition and celebrating cannabis on our national holiday as we have for 20 years.”

Emery said they will be forgoing the planned stage, tents and booths, however. Thousands of dollars that was raised to independently pay for security, first aid and toilets is being refunded to vendors.

“The professional element, the organization, that unfortunately will not be there this year,” she said.

“It will be back to our roots of holding up signs and saying, ‘Legalize marijuana, stop arresting people for pot.’”

Emery said the opposition from the city, which came about just three weeks before the event, was unexpected, and may have to do with backlash from this year’s 4/20.

An estimated 25,000 turned up at the Art Gallery, and dozens were admitted to hospital after suffering nausea and minor injuries. The Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association also complained that the protest felt more like a party, and that the massive crowds blocked roads and created traffic problems.

Association president Charles Gauthier said he’d like to see Vancouver take a more aggressive approach to pot rallies.

“We would ask the city use whatever tools it has to enforce its own bylaws and regulations,” Gauthier said.

The city won’t comment on whether it will be issuing bylaw tickets at Cannabis Day, and police are mum on whether officers will be making arrests.

Emery said though there won’t be vendor booths, there may be people selling marijuana out of backpacks the way they did at early Cannabis Day events.

“We don’t know who will be there or what will happen,” she said.

With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Sheila Scott