Daryl Hannah speaks to media from jail cell
14/06/2006 - 16:06:43Actress Daryl Hannah says she is “not thrilled” about being arrested at a protest to save an urban farm in Los Angeles.
But the star, who had been sitting in a walnut tree on the site for more than two weeks, told People magazine from her jail cell hat she had been determined to show her commitment to the cause.
Police moved in yesterday to evict campaigners from the 14-acre community fruit and vegetable garden so the owner of the land can build a warehouse there.
Amid a furious protest, more than 40 people were arrested, including some who had chained themselves to concrete-filled barrels.
Actress Hannah, 45, said of her arrest: “I’m not thrilled about it, but I felt it was important to sustain my commitment.
“I spent the last 23 days down at the South Central farm, which is the largest urban farm in the nation and provides food for hundreds of families.
“The subsistence farmers are from one of the poorest communities.
“This farm should be a model for sustainable urban agriculture. It needs to be replicated, not eradicated.” She said she had got involved after filming the garden for her website blog, when she “fell in love with it and the farmers”.
The Kill Bill actress and about 25 immigrant farmers and their supporters were campaigning against landowner Ralph Horowitz’s plan to demolish the ten-year-old plots.
Other celebrities to have joined the cause include folk singer Joan Baez, country singer Willie Nelson, actor Danny Glover and tree sitter Julia Butterfly Hill.
Hannah shared her leafy perch 40ft up with environmental activist John Quigley.
About 350 people were growing produce and flowers on the privately owned land, in an inner-city area surrounded by warehouses and railroad tracks.
Yesterday authorities cut away branches and used a fire engine to pluck Hannah and Quigley from the tree.
The pair raised their fists as they were removed.
With the protestors out of the way, bulldozers moved on to the property to knock down fences and crush the small plots of land. Some 120 deputies, some with batons and riot helmets, had been involved in carrying out the eviction order, using saws to cut down the chain-link fence around the site.
Seventeen arrests were made inside the garden, while 27 more people demonstrating outside were held.
Lawyers for the garden’s users said the fight was not over.
Next month they will appear in court to challenge Horowitz’s right to the property.
Click to stay connected with
more stories like this:
more stories like this:
