SAGINAW — They’re angry and aim to peacefully show it at this week’s “Saginaw Freedom March,” says a leader from the 15,000-member Michigan Marijuana Association.

Joe Cain, chief executive officer for the Lansing based nonprofit that aims to “empower Michigan’s medical marijuana community,” said Saginaw can expect to see 100 and potentially as many as 1,000 protesters outside the Saginaw County Courthouse when the rally commences at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

“More and more people keep committing to me,” Cain said. “They’re setting up car pools to come out of Jackson County, we’ve got people coming from all over the state — and probably all over the country.”

Cain said the protest is a response to the third and latest raid of a registered medical marijuana patient and caretaker in Saginaw County. The Drug Enforcement Agency, supported by Thomas Township police, raided the barn and home of John Roberts, 49, and his fiancée,

Stephanie Whisman, 38,

on July 6.

Roberts had organized a protest at the courthouse on July 1, which Cain and Michigan Medical Marijuana Association members believe was the impetus for the raid less than a week later.

Cain said the rally also is a protest against Saginaw County Sheriff

William L.

Federspiel

.

“The only logical conclusion we can come to is that we dared challenge the sheriff,” Cain said. “And if that’s the case, it’s a really sad day for democracy.”

Federspiel said he had nothing to do with the DEA raid, although his agency previously raided Roberts’ home with DEA agents April 15, at which time no arrests were made but plant samples and harvested marijuana was seized.

“I can assure you that that’s the last thing in my mind, interfering with people’s free speech,” Federspiel said. “I never want to interfere with anybody’s free speech. I welcome them.”

The growing equipment, which Robert’s said is worth $10,000; marijuana-based medicine for 10 patients, whom Roberts and Whisman are

caretakers for; and

plants were seized July 6.

“There’s not a lot we can comment on, other than confirm that marijuana was seized at that address,” said DEA Spokesman Special Agent Rich Isaacson. “No one was arrested at that time but the investigation is ongoing.”

“The DEA uses our resources to target what we consider... large-scale drug trafficking groups,” Isaacson said. “In regards to medical marijuana, in the federal government’s eyes, there is no legitimate medical use. That being said, we’re not using our resources to target individuals that are following state law.”

He went on to say hundreds of plants would be considered a large operation.