150 in Beverly Hills Protest Malathion

Wearing gas masks and waving signs, about 150 people chose an exclusive Beverly Hills neighborhood Friday evening to demonstrate against the aerial pesticide spraying used to combat the worst Mediterranean fruit fly infestation in Southern California history.

Passing cars on Santa Monica Boulevard and Rodeo Drive honked as actors, singers and the mayor of Monterey Park protested. Their signs read: “Stop Spraying Us With Poison,” “Malathion Bug Off” and “Downey Says No to Nazi Nerve Gas.”

The event was organized by Valley Citizens Against Urban Spraying and was attended by residents of Temple City, Sherman Oaks, Lakewood, Northridge and Pacific Palisades.

Beverly Hills was chosen for the demonstration because residents of the wealthy city have not been sprayed after receiving an initial application of malathion late last year, said Michael Bell, an actor and one of the event organizers. Bell alleged that Beverly Hills had successfully blocked further sprayings.

But agricultural officials said the city was not sprayed again because no more fertile Medflies were discovered in Beverly Hills.

Demonstrators from a variety of environmental and community organizations described becoming ill with headaches and flu-like symptoms after sprayings took place in their neighborhoods. The sprayings are now occurring every three weeks over the 300-square mile Medfly infestation area.

Officials battling the Medfly infestation say the amounts of pesticide being sprayed are far too small to adversely affect people or animals. But the demonstrators were unconvinced.

Monterey Park Mayor Patricia Reichenberger said her son, who was recovering from head injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident, experienced severe pain after going outside the day after spraying. She said her son’s doctor attributed the pain to “an environmental reaction.”

In another development, the state of Florida has agreed to send agricultural experts to California to help in the eradication effort.