7 Arrested As Deputies Evict Urban Farmers

AP ^ | 6/13/6 | JACOB ADELMAN

[SmithL]

Los Angeles -- Sheriff's deputies began evicting people from an urban garden early Tuesday and arrested at least seven as protesters chained themselves to barrels of concrete and others, including actress Daryl Hannah, sat in a large walnut tree.

"I'm very confident this is the morally right thing to do, to take a principled stand in solidarity with the farmers," Hannah said by cell phone. Asked if she willing to risk arrest, she said, "I'm planning on holding my position."

About 350 people grow produce and flowers on the 14 acres of privately owned land, in a gritty, inner-city area surrounded by warehouses and train tracks. The garden has been there for decades but the landowner, Ralph Horowitz, now wants to replace it with a warehouse.

At daybreak Tuesday, 120 deputies, including riot forces, showed up to serve an eviction order that a judge signed last month.

Seven people were arrested for allegedly violating a court eviction order and obstructing sheriff's deputies enforcing the order, said Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Kerri Webb.

As many as 20 demonstrators inside the garden chained themselves to each other, the tree or 55-gallon concrete-filled drums.

"It's a massive show of force," said environmental activist John Quigley, who was in the walnut tree. "Our goal is to hold as firm as we can, obviously in a nonviolent manner."

[SmithL]

The effort to save the farm has attracted the support of celebrities, including "Splash" star Hannah, country singer Willie Nelson, actor Danny Glover, folk singer Joan Baez and tree sitter Julia "Butterfly" Hill.

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It's a disappointing day for fruits and nuts in California.

[2banana]

7 Arrested As Deputies Evict Urban Farmers

Off of someone else's private property...

[dfwgator]

"May I suggest using your nightstick, officer?"

[Froufrou]

Daryl Hannah doesn't have permission to declare herself a spokesnut for farmers, does she?

[Froufrou]

Exactly.

[roses of sharon]

While doing press to save this farm, Hannah has referred to the LA riots as "uprisings".

Truly delusional.

[Concho]

Naw, just call in a crop duster. Low and slow, Spray them with Kool Aide. They would swear that they were getting cancer and run for the clinic.

[Red Badger]

PRIVATE PROPERTY! If the damn hollywired types want to support these people, then BUY THE PROPERTY!!!!!! Some people have more money than brains..........

[50sDad]

Again, if Hollywood Morons REALLY cared, they would buy the property and let the "urban farmers" work it. Feel-good nonsense from Tinsel Town that ignores the rights of others, and it would never occur to the Lefties that if they feeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel so powerfully about this cause, they should start digging in their own pockets, not somebody else's.

[avg_freeper]

Why can't these celebrities just invite the trespassers to live on their land and in their mansions?

[RebelBanker]

7 Arrested As Deputies Evict Urban Farmers Trespassers

There! Fixed it.

[GSlob]

Well, from the title I surmised that they were farming their own [or maybe leased] land, and it turns out they were not.

[Ben Mugged]

About 350 people grow produce and flowers on the 14 acres of privately owned land

The left does not understand the term "Property Rights". The city will probably take it away from the owner using eminent domain.

[B Knotts]

Y'know, you'd think that these Hollywood types could afford to buy this property, instead of squatting on it.

[theDentist]

They're sitting in a walnut tree, huh? Someone get me a sniper...

[TexasCajun]

Why don't these Hollywierdo's just pay the owner the market value for the property and solve the problem.

Or how about inviting the 350 people to their private property to farm, sleep and just hang out?

[American_Centurion]

Beat the crap outta those hippies. Geez!

[freedumb2003]

Daryl Hannah doesn't have permission to declare herself a spokesnut for farmers, does she?

Someone should remind that has-been that Splash was 22 years ago.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Because theft of property is an appropriate left-wing, hate-filled cause.

[Vaquero]

LA, LA, stupid actor major D*uche alert