Illegal cannabis plants have been growing for months next to iconic London landmarks including Big Ben, Tower Bridge and the Shard

Campaign group Feed The Birds planted seeds to protest 'ludicrous' laws

Claim crops show marijuana flourishes in Britain so should be legal

Currently illegal in UK, possession holds 5-year term, supply holds 14 years

Demonstrators urge government to follow Uruguay in legalising drug



Cannabis plants have been growing for months next to iconic London landmarks.

A group known as Feed The Birds has planted seeds around Westminster, Big Ben and along the South Bank in a guerrilla protest against 'ludicrous' drug laws.

The move, they claim, demonstrates that marijuana naturally flourishes in Britain and should, therefore, be legal.



Protest: Feed The Birds campaign group has planted marijuana plants across London (pictured by Tower Bridge and City Hall) in a bid to highlight that it naturally flourishes in Britain and, therefore, should be legal

It is also a bid to raise awareness about medicinal uses of the drug - while growing crops for users so they do not have to rely on black market dealers.



Releasing images of the illegal plants next to Tower Bridge, the Shard and a busy London high street, the campaigners have urged the Government to follow Uruguay and a number of American states in legalising the Class B drug.

Finn Hemingway, a farmer and representative of the group, explained their actions.

'We have two primary objectives,' said Finn, who is in his 20s.

'We want to raise awareness for medicinal users who need cannabis to improve their quality of life.

Trend: The protest follows similar moves in Germany as campaigners urge the Government to follow the lead of Uruguay and some American states, which have recently legalised the Class B drug

Landmarks: This small cannabis plant is pictured growing on London's South Bank, while others have cropped up near the Shard. The group claims they will give the crops to medicinal users to cut out black market dealers

'We also want to supply medicinal and recreational users with seeds so they are no longer dependent on the black market dealers.'

The stunt echoes a protest in the town of Gottingen, Germany, where thousands of cannabis plants sprouted up last year due a similar protest movement.

Finn said: 'The war on drugs is a catastrophic failure, and I think that cannabis growing openly on the streets of London emphasises how ludicrous our drugs laws are.