Another Tragedy: The Bulldozing of the South Central Farms
I know it may be too late to avoid the worst of it, but a highly successful community garden in the impoverished community of south central LA has been almost bulldozed. One of the only big green spaces left in that city, the supposed "owner" is clearing the land to make way for warehouses, after at least 14 years of the US's biggest urban farm existing at that site. However, there is still a chance as the deal itself is coming up for questioning in court.
Here's the details (from Indymedia LA)
Los Angeles Police Forcibly Evict and Bulldoze the South Central Farm
Despite widespread popular resistance, including years of struggle against the city and developers on the part of farmers, a three-week old occupation and treesit, a successful effort to raise millions of dollars in order to try to buy the land on which the farm stood - a bid which was ultimately rejected, and a day full of nonviolent civil disobedience including lockdowns and blockades, the largest urban farm in the United States was evicted on the morning of June 13th.
The farm, which had been started on property taken from developers under eminent domain laws after the 1992 popular uprising following the videotaped police beating of Rodney King, and which provided healthy food for over three hundred and fifty families as well as an ecologically sustainable model for building urban economy and community with dignity in the midst of poverty, was destroyed by bulldozers today to make way for the construction of commercial warehouses serving the (activists speculate that Wal-Mart maybe the primary intended beneficiary.)
Los Angeles Indymedia is reporting that at least 45 people have been (in many cases violently) arrested while defending the farm from re-enclosure and destruction. Many Hollywood celebrities came out to support the farm, including getting arrested, but to no avail.
[South Central Farmers]