Reaping Harvest of Anger at Urban Farm

Ten protesters were arrested Wednesday as they tried to stop a bulldozer from clearing the land that was once the South-Central Urban Farm -- even going so far as to stuff a zucchini in the vehicle’s exhaust pipe, officials said.

The day’s protests marked another chapter in the ongoing struggle to wrest the land from owner Ralph Horowitz, who bought it from the city in 2003 but has not announced plans for its development. On Wednesday morning, Horowitz forged ahead, giving the order to clear away plots of squash, chamomile, corn and other plants, despite farmers’ hopes of contesting his ownership in a court hearing set for next week..

“The plants needed pruning,” Horowitz said, his voice deadpan as he explained his actions. Of the gardeners, he said: “There’s no end to the amount of waiting that they think I should do.”

The first two arrests, for trespassing, occurred about 7:30 a.m., when one man laid in front of the bulldozer, blocking its path, and another chained himself to it, said Officer April Harding, an LAPD spokeswoman.

About 12:30 p.m., a group of men and women jumped the chain-link fence surrounding the property and made a beeline for the bulldozer. Five women and three men were arrested on charges of felony vandalism after inserting an 18-inch zucchini in the exhaust pipe, which disabled the vehicle for a time, officers said.

Some were charged with battery for hitting the driver and throwing a crate at a police officer, Harding said.

More than 30 police officers, including members of a bike patrol, remained at the scene throughout the day, Harding added, supporting the private security crew.

By noon, nearly half of the 14-acre farm at 41st and Alameda streets had been mowed down. Tree branches and leaves were strewn among dirt and debris and clusters of tomatoes and large yellow squash were mixed in the rubble. Several dozen protesters, mostly Latino, alternately chided the mostly black security team inside for helping police officers -- and pleaded for support and solidarity.

“Look at these white guys protecting you guys,” members of the crowd said to the guards, referring to law enforcement officials.

Laura Palomares, 31, and Sarah Rosenkrantz, 29, pulled a rusty wagon with corn, squash and onions around the site’s perimeter, squeezing an arm through the fence for any stray vegetables they spotted, determined to distribute the goods among farmers.

Roberto Macias, 65, had circled the fence surrounding the land since he heard helicopters flying over the farm in the morning. A community farmer since 1992, Macias saw the devastated landscape before him as a crime against nature.

But “we still have hope,” he said in Spanish. “We can plant the plants again.”