Free Republic

Los Angeles -- Workers began bulldozing what was once a 14-acre urban garden Wednesday as a group of evicted farmers and their supporters protested the developer's latest move just one week before a judge is scheduled to hear a lawsuit over the sale and ownership of the land. The farmers were evicted three weeks ago after property owner Ralph Horowitz alerted farmers he planned to develop the land. For years, neighborhood residents had farmed the site rent free. One protester Wednesday chained himself to a bulldozer and firefighters were called to cut him loose. Another was arrested for lying in...

Developer Ralph Horowitz is puzzled by all this talk about an offer from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s office to buy his 14 acres at 41st and Alameda streets.. “‘An offer of a proposal’ — I never even heard of that,” Horowitz told the L.A. Weekly. “I don’t know what that means, it has no significance whatsoever.” Villaraigosa, speaking at City Hall just hours after the South Central Farmers had been evicted early Tuesday, somberly told reporters that Horowitz turned down an offer from the Annenberg Foundation and the Trust for Public Land to buy his property for $16.35 million. But there...

LAPD and LASD were charged with arresting protesters at the South Central Farms, and it is quickly getting out of hand. Lots of arrestees and requests for units countywide to respond. Vernon PD also requested. 482.8125 CTAC 1 LASD