Willie Nelson, Darryl Hannah, Martin Sheen, Danny Glover, Joan Baez, Julia Butterfly-Hill support farmers in the struggle to save the nation's largest urban farm. Darryl Hannah appears on Larry King Live with Willie Nelson to show footage of eviction. Danny Glover calls eviction a Day of Mourning, a Day of Shame.
As of 5 am Tuesday morning, the altar was joined by forty nonviolent protestors locking together around the base of the tree because LA Sheriffs, firefighters, and LAPD had converged to evict the farmers and protesters who were now considered trespassers. ...
Full report:
South Central Farm Crisis in Los Angeles
by Jane Ayers | | All the Farm Stories: Farm Stories by JohnK || Why Horowitz did Not Sell the Farm to the SCFs by B || Bulldozing the Farm by blame the system || COP WATCH REPORT: stand-off with LAPD and Sheriff's on Alameda and 41st || Horowitz Unleashes Sheriff by francisco mendez
Messages
From the Occupation by The Occupants of the SCF (posted by Lesile)
Testimonies of police violence during the raid:
AUDIO: Interview with Sam Sanchez, defender of the farm | | VIDEO: Resisting Eviction, a farmer tells her story
SOUTH CENTRAL, June 13, 2006 - A three year struggle of the South Central Farmers to save their farm came to a climax today. Early this morning a combined force of sheriffs, LAPD, fire department and bulldozers raided the farm. The farmers held their ground and were able to resist forced extractions for over seven hours. A total of 45 arrests have been reported. There are also reports of injuries, witnesses reported seeing two people taken away in stretchers and an ambulance was called to the scene. There is also a report that some of those arrested were placed in body bags.
Bulldozers cut a 30 foot wide gash through farmer’s plots to get to the tree where tree sitters were holding out. Once at the tree sheriffs discovered the commitment and determination of the farmers and their supporters. Over 30 people were in full lock down surrounding the tree. Chained together in lockboxes bolted to steel drums filled with concrete farmers where able to delay extraction for hours.
On hearing the news, hundreds of supporters poured into the area, but were prevented from getting on to the farm by a small army of LAPD in full riot gear. Unable to break through the perimeter protesters sat down in the street blocking traffic on a major avenue for hours until police cleared the street. Many farmers openly wept on seeing their plots destroyed. At this time (7:45 pm Tuesday) there is news that bulldozers are still at the farm plowing under the farmer’s plots. Farmers and their supporters vow not to give up and will fight on regardless of the events here today. Statement from the elected representative of the farmers
Photos: Photos inside farm during raid | | Protest outside farm 1 & Outside farm 2 | |
Outside farm 3
| | Bulldozing the Farm | | Blocking Cherry Picker | | Farmers Vigil After Raid | | Before & After Photo
Video: 1 | | 2 | |
Audio: Witness of Raid on Farm
UPDATE: From now on, the farmers will be camping out on the sidewalk, by the farm, at Long Beach Ave and 41st street . The farmers are inviting the community to come to the candlelight vigil there, every evening starting at 7 p.m.
Farmers call for immediate actions:
10:00 pm. At a meeting, it was decided that there will be daylong monitoring of the situation. Support is requested. If you can take lunch at (and to) the farm, please do so. Bring water and support during the day. The big effort is to turn out for the 7 o'clock vigil. Bring as many people as possible. Meetings planning next steps are to be held throughout the day.
4:00 p.m. The Farm plots are being Bulldozed. Farmers and supporters are crying as their gardens are turned into rubble. There will be two candle light vigils at 7pm tonight. One at the farm (41st and Alameda or Long Beach blvd.) where organizers are calling on people to respect the police barriers. The other at the "Mayor's Mansion" 605 S. Irving St. in Hancock Park. Bring candles and food to share.
1:30 p.m. Daryl Hannah and John Quigley are among the estimated 45 arrests so far. Sheriffs will allow the farmers to return within 15 days to claim property they left on the farm. Tezozomoc from the SCF reports that Horowitz will immediately proceed with bulldozing the farm though this could not be confirmed. Mayor Villaraigosa will be staging a press conference at 3 pm in front of city hall. Update:
link to audio interview with Leslie Morava by Free Radio Santa Cruz
12:10 p.m. Farmers and supporters stopped traffic at 41st and Alameda. Police declared unlawful assembly and cleared the streets. Reports of a dozen arrests at this
incident. Supporters are asked to come to 41st and Long Beach.
10:30 a.m. Bulldozers are on the farm. Cherry pickers coming in to farm now. Daryl & John still in tree. People still locked down around tree.
About 300 supporters protesting outside now.
10:15 a.m. Bulldozers are breaking down the fences, and the tree is being cut. Traffic is bottlenecked around Alameda.
9:00 a.m. Jake writes:
1) The sheriffs had already broken open the lockboxes that people were using to lock themselves down to prevent their removal from the farm.
2) About 10 people had been dragged out, and two people were sent away in ambulances. We don't know what happened to them or how they are doing.
3) Bulldozers were lined up outside the fences, ready to come in.
5:20 a.m. The sherrifs are at the farm. The eviction process is starting now. Farmers are calling all activists to converge to the farm for a massive protest (Alameda & 41st Street). The eviction might take up to 3 to 4 hours or longer.