THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA
www.cagreens.org
Friday, May 26, 2006
Contact: Sara Amir, spokesperson 310.270-7106 saraamir@earthlink.net
Pat Driscoll, spokesperson 916.320-6430 patp@sonicfrog.com
Susan King, spokesperson 415.823-5524 funking@mindspring.com
Cres Vellucci, GPCA press secretary 916.996-9170
California Greens join celebrities, tree-sitters in 'solidarity' with South Central LA farmers trying to save nation's largest
urban farm
LOS ANGELES (May 26, 2006) - Scores of Greens - including a Green Party candidate for Congress and a former Santa
Monica mayor - have joined thousands of people who have built an encampment and formed a growing resistance
movement here to save the largest urban farm in the U.S.
Among threats of eviction and arrests, people - including environmentalist Julia "Butterfly" Hill - are "tree-sitting" and have put up a "tent city" for supporters. Hundreds of people - including celebrities Joan Baez, actresses Daryl Hannah and Laura Dern, and slide guitar ace Ben Harper - have gathered at the farm to demand environmental justice for the farmers.
A land developer is planning to evict 360 Latino and indigenous families from the 14-acre plot at Alameda and 41st streets in South Central Los Angeles, which has allowed them to supplement their incomes with healthy crops of fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants.
"We are putting out a call to Green Party members and others across the state and nation, to come to Los Angeles and stand in solidarity with the farmers against a developer and city government who refuse to save this community farm. If they evict and jail them, they'll have to evict and jail us too," said Michael Feinstein, former Santa Monica mayor.
"The Green Party demands that developers not be allowed to dictate to the government of the people and for the people. This is not the government of and for the dollar. We are not going to let this farm be destroyed," said Green Party congressional candidate Byron DeLear, (28th CD, Los Angeles/San Fernando) <http://www.delearforcongress.org>,
one of many Greens who has camped out overnight at the site. He said the city should use the power of "eminent domain to protect this national treasure."
"I am appalled that instead of ensuring that people are able to subsist, the City of Los Angeles is selling out the people to build on a property already financed by the taxpayers," said Donna Warren, a native of South Central and candidate for Lt. Governor in June on the Green Party ticket <http://www.donnawarren.com>.
