Liberate the Land - Gezi Gardens, SF
Channel: Gerardo Ruiz Smith
Date: 2013-06-07

June 1st activists marched to the site of the former Hayes Valley Farm to prevent the destruction of the farm and garden for development of luxury apartments.  The activists have been on site 24/7 since Saturday with several activists sitting in platforms in the trees, a non-violent  tactic commonly used to protect green spaces.  The former Hayes Valley Farm has been renamed Gezi Gardens in solidarity with the social uprising in Turkey that started when activists attempted to peacefully defend a green space in Istanbul called Gezi Park.

This is one of three urban gardens and permaculture farms in San Francisco that are slated to become housing developments by the end of the year.  This is during a fervent dialogue about the need for more spaces to grow local, organic food and current statistics of 36,000 vacant units.