Subject: Re: [permaculture] Permaculture seedballs seized by Sacramento police in dawn raid
Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2006 11:51:35 +1100 (EST)
No god damn wonder we have eco terroist
mIEKAL aND <dtv@mwt.net> wrote: Permaculture seedballs seized by Sacramento
police in dawn raid
author: Daniel Youngberg
SACRAMENTO--This morning at around 7:00 a.m., Sacramento police
officers paid a visit to the WTO mobiization Welcome Center and
seized over 100 permaculture seed-balls. Activists from around the
country have been gathering in Sacramento and meeting at the Welcome
Center in preparation for protests against a June 23-25 U.S.
Department of Agriculture tradeshow intended to convince WTO member
countries to accept new guidelines regarding biotechnology and
genetic engineering.
The police claimed that the seedballs were illegal under statute
12.48.090, which is "Possession of prohibited weapons during a parade
or demonstration". The fact that the seedballs were sitting idly at
the edge of the parking lot, drying in the sun, rather than being
part of a "parade or demonstration" was an irrelevant distinction to
the police, who noted that protests are planned soon in Sacramento.
Activists had made the seedballs the day before during a permaculture
workshop. Each one contains soil, some straw, and seeds. When left on
the ground, the seedballs are supposed to break down and sprout.
Seedballs have been used in urban areas to bring flowers and food to
areas in need of more green or sustenance. These particular balls
contain heirloom seeds for growing clover and mustard, among other
things.