Police Mistake Tomato Plants for Marijuana, Destroy Farm (Video)

Opposing Views ^ | 08/14/2013 | By Michael Allen

[Responsibility2nd]

Several residents at the “Garden of Eden” sustainability garden in Arlington, Texas, claim that local police raided their farm because they thought tomato plants were marijuana plants.

The police reportedly damaged the garden's property and the crops during the Aug. 2 raid, which included a SWAT team (video below).

“They came here under the guise that we were doing a drug trafficking, marijuana-growing operation. They destroyed everything,” said garden owner Shellie Smith to WFAA-TV.

Apparently, an undercover officer and a helicopter surveillance crew believed there was probable cause that the wrong kind of plant was being grown in the garden and an armed raid was planned.

“They can’t even tell the difference between tomato plants and a marijuana drug cartel," said farm resident Quinn Eaker to NBC Dallas-Fort Worth. "That’s just really bad intel.”

According to the Garden of Eden's website, the raid lasted for an estimated 10 hours.

However, the City of Arlington stated: “No cultivated marijuana plants were located on the premises. Narcotics detectives and members of the tactical unit cleared the scene within 45 minutes.”

According to reports, police officers removed legally cultivated plants such as blackberries and okra. Police also removed pallets, tires and cardboard that were used for sustainability projects.

Instead of the damage done to the farm, police spokesman Christopher Cook seemed more concerned about the reaction on Facebook against the police.

“That’s what concerns me about their social media allegations," Cook told the Dallas Morning News. "Yes, they were initially handcuffed, however once it was determined it was secure they were taken out of handcuffs. Typically we wouldn’t do that, but they were compliant."

Sources: Dallas Morning News, WFAA-TV, NBC Dallas-Fort Worth, IntoTheGardenofEden.com

[NFHale]

I’m 52 as well.

I’ve had experiences with cops that were complete assholes and also with guys that were and are normal, decent folks doing their job.

I have friends who are cops; retired detectives and beat cops that I shoot with. They’re American, conservative, patriot, gunnies completely on our side of things.

It’s like anything other group; there’s buttheads, and there’s normal decent folk.

My gripe is that the normal decent folk in that group don’t/won’t/can’t remove the buttheads from amongst them.

[CSM]

I’m thinking this is just another attempt to eliminate nicotine from our society. Didnt’ you tell me once that tomatos contain nicotine and that all night shade plants do also?

[NFHale]

“...ocal city cops take guns away form people even though this an open carry state...”

Hence what I said earlier - they choose to be buttheads.

If open carry is the LAW, and they are “law enforcement” then they should be sued off the force for BREAKING the law.

Why not contact the County Sheriff of the County those local cops are in, and have him send Deputies there to make them cease and desist? Is that feasible?

[dragnet2]

Yet another supporter of corrupt controlling intrusive government?

I guess you’ll feel lucky if your taxes go up to pay for this hysterical government chaos..

[Postman]

I hope someone is suing?

[Responsibility2nd]

Cops should stick to their primary responsibility: Raising money for the welfare state from innocent citizens attempting to legally go about their day.

 

Ah. There you are. You often post this, don't you? I tried to think of who it was that posts this when I posted this thread the other day.

 

Video: DeKalb County Police Enter Home Illegally, Threaten To 'Cane' Residents
Opposing Views ^ | 08/08/2013 | By Jonathan Wolfe
 

Posted on Friday, August 09, 2013 11:37:40 AM by Responsibility2nd

Chilling video from a home in Dekalb County, Ga., shows local police entering a house illegally, berating the home’s residents and then tackling them to the ground.

The entire incident took place because the mother of the home, Natania Griffin, was two weeks late on paying a $1,000 fee to the county.

more...

(emphasis added)

 

I knew I had seen your comment around. And boy, does it apply in this case.

[Secret Agent Man]

serves dual purposes.

scares citizens.

may get to shoot some dogs/moving targets.

destroys peoples’ ability to grow their own food.

trashes privacy rights.

no consequences for the police effing it all up.

hope they are sued into the poor house. sue for all the cops’ pensions.

[Uncle Miltie]

I had a car stolen from in front of my house.

When the car was found by a citizen in another part of town, the cops called me to retrieve it.

I found the thief’s WALLET under the driver’s seat. I called the cops to turn it in so they could go catch the guy. He was living at home with his mother.

The cops couldn’t have cared less about GRAND THEFT AUTO.

They did NOTHING.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

My uncle’s mother, long retired at the time, stayed at the river in the summers. She grew okra. There was a knock on the door. It was the police. It seems the local spy-in-the-sky mistook the okra for weed.

A different era. It wasn’t a raid. No SWAT. No guns drawn. Just a friendly “M’am do you mind if we check...” She let them check. Some might say it was a mistake, but she had retired from the police department years earlier. She knew what she was doing.

She was somewhat taken aback, but amused just the same. We all were.

[Responsibility2nd]

Perhaps they were counting on you do do some “redneck justice.”

Shoot. Shovel. Shut up.

[Bon of Babble]

Really? This country has gone mad!!

THIS while illegal foreign nationals set up pot farms in California's state parks and WE residents who pay for the parks are told to stay out.

DH says we're not going hiking in the parks any longer without the .45s -- one for him, one for me.

In addition to using U.S. public lands to smuggle drugs into this nation, the Mexican drug cartels are growing huge amounts of marijuana in our national parks. It is estimated that the cartels produce 30 tons of pot in our parks annually.

Large pot farms have been found from Klamath National and Sequoia National Parks in California, and Pike National Forest in Colorado to George Washington National Forest in Virginia and all points in between. Often, those farms are booby-trapped with trip wires surrounding the operations

. Natural streams are diverted to irrigate the illegal crops, and the soil is severely damaged with harsh pesticides. When those operating the farms move on to another location, the areas more resemble a garbage dump, than a national forest. The harm being done to both flora and fauna is immeasurable.

http://www.examiner.com/article/our-national-parks-have-been-surrendered-to-the-mexican-drug-cartels-w-shocking-video

[Constitution Day]

Several residents at the “Garden of Eden” sustainability garden in Arlington, Texas, claim that local police raided their farm because they thought tomato plants were marijuana plants.

“They can’t even tell the difference between tomato plants and a marijuana drug cartel," said farm resident Quinn Eaker to NBC Dallas-Fort Worth. "That’s just really bad intel.”

You've got to remember that these are just simple cops. These are people of the donut shop. The common clay of the new West. You know...morons.

[PoloSec]

“Why is it illegal to grow okra?”

I have no problem with Okra being illegal! /s

[stephenjohnbanker]

” That’s because law enforcement is rapidly becoming another political tool to punish political enemies.”

Great point! Especially the last 10 years. Union thugs with a badge.

[wafflehouse]

LOL

[stephenjohnbanker]

Man, this is bad!

[Wolfie]

The city wants the commune gone, simple as that.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

You say tomato and I say Hanover. If you have never had a Hanover (VA) tomato, you have not lived.

[dragnet2]

The city government should get the IRS Nazis to go after them.

[Uncle Miltie]

I’ve had my windows shot out.

I’ve had my tires repeatedly slashed in the secure parking lot of The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle.

I’ve had anti-Semitic graffiti painted on my steps.

I’ve had my car stolen.

I’ve seen the instigators and perpetrators of the WTO riots in Seattle SQAT in an abandoned building next to the SPD squad house for months.

I’ve watched drug deals in front of my house and called in the license plate of the dealer.

NOTHING.

On the other hand, I’ve accidentally coasted too fast down a hill when cruise control (set precisely at the speed limit) did not slow me down. Ticket.

I’ve tried but failed (due to an 18 wheeler almost crushing me) to exit the right lane when a cop had his lights flashing on the shoulder. $250 ticket.

I saw an exit sign that is posted only after a steep bridge that told me to move over 3 lanes to get to my destination. There was no posted speed limit. I could have stomped on the brakes and stopped, missed the turn and gone on who knows how long, or accelerate slightly and pull in front of the cars to my right. $250 speeding ticket.

In none of those cases was anyone ever put at risk by my driving. In each case, I thought I was well within the confines of the law to the best of my ability at the time.

THE COPS PURPOSE IS TO RAISE REVENUE FOR THE WELFARE STATE FROM INNOCENT CITIZENS ATTEMPTING TO LEGALLY GO ABOUT THEIR DAY.