As best as I can tell, Hashing is a hippie sport from the days of yore. Okay, maybe it didn't start out as a hippie sport, but it is one now for sure. It's a non-competitive social running club that works up a thirst so that they can quench said thirst with beer. They start by releasing two "Hares" who run ahead and mark their course with a bag of flour and then the other Hashers try to catch them. It actually sounds like a bit of fun, the only thing that might stop me from giving it a try is the disproportionate amount of hippies, but I digress.
If you want to know more about the sport The Hash House Harriers are the biggest Hashing group in the world and they have a website, but it actually doesn't look that informative. There are plenty of other good sites to find information just by doing a google search.
Anyway, it appears that two Hares were arrested in New Haven, Connecticut for spreading a white powdery substance in the parking lot of an Ikea. In this day and age, the police apparently thought that the substance was some sort of terrorist powder instead of just being flour. So, even after the FBI and every other government agency became involved and tested the powder to confirm it was flour, they still arrested this brother and sister duo for first degree, a class D felony. I guess when the police bring out guys in Hazmat suits and waste their time they feel the need to at least arrest someone.
In my most recent issue of Runner's World they give an update on the status of the case against these two Hashers.
Even though I'm usually for any kind of law enforcement that puts Hippies in jail, I find this case to be ridiculous. Plus, is that all you have to do to get out of a felony? Just donate some money to charity?
We'll get you next time, you hippies, you better start running now! We'll follow the flour!