Garden Of Eden Strikes Back, Files Lawsuit For Unlawful Police Raid

Garden Of Eden Arlington, TX

In August 2013 an authoritarian SWAT team pillaged a harmless group of harmonious people in Arlington, Texas. These fully armed thugs claimed to have a search warrant at the time of the break-in for alleged cannabis plants, though none were recovered. The property owners along with the residents who inhabit the property told a local news station at the time that they are positive that the true intention for the unlawful raid was a few petty code violations. These ‘order-followers’ pulled 17 blackberry bushes, 15 okra plants, and 14 tomatillo plants right out of the ground for confiscation and even razed some native grasses and sunflowers. While detaining residents inside their own home at gunpoint for at least a half-hour, property owners said that the barbaric occupation continued for 10 hours.

These tyrannical goons in the employ of the city of Arlington had issued a couple of paper reprimands for ‘code violations’ to The Garden of Eden in the weeks leading to the surprise marauding. These so-called infractions were grass not at an appropriate height,  shrubs and some bushes that were growing too close to the street, a couch on the porch, a piano in the yard, firewood that was not ‘properly’ stacked, and a single piece of siding was missing from the side of the house. Property owner Shellie Smith stated that the cops didn’t even produce a warrant until after two hours into the incursion. The cowardly dark-dressed bullies covered their name tags so they couldn’t be identified.

The domineering city of Arlington released a statement that the code violation tickets were issued to the serene farm after complaints by nosey neighbors who were “concerned that the conditions at the farm interfered with the useful enjoyment of their properties and was detrimental to property values and community appearance.” The militarized SWAT invasion was ordered after the Arlington Police Department received a number of complaints that the same property owner was cultivating marijuana plants on the premises. The city’s statement concluded with “No cultivated marijuana plants were located on the premises.”

Now the Garden of Eden is striking back with a Federal lawsuit claiming that police were overpowering and strong-armed their way into their peaceful oasis and never presented probable cause to raid and destroy their food supply. Solely based on an anonymous tip and aerial surveillance which falsely identified rows of tomatoes as marijuana plants. This is a complete violation of property rights and disregard of the 4th Amendment. Detainment at gun-point and held against your will for a code violation citation is a bit overkill. These paramilitary techniques against citizens are being exposed more and more, with continued lawsuits and defiance to these unjust minions, there might be a possibility to curtail the overbearing practice. Thankfully, no lives were lost to the usually trigger happy indoctrinated raiders.

Assistant Arlington city attorney Melinda Barlow is saying that the city is reviewing the lawsuit.

Quinn Eaker of the Garden of Eden Image: WeAreChange.org

Barlow states “It appears that the factual recitations are not wholly accurate and the city will be responding in the due course of the litigation.” The Garden of Eden, a peaceful residence that contains a group of self-sustaining citizens who maintain a large garden and enjoy the fruits of their labor as well as give-back to the community by donating some of the organic produce to community outreach centers. They have even set up alongside local activists groups and contributed their homegrown fruits and veggies to serve the homeless population in downtown Dallas. Visitors are welcome to tour the premises and are encouraged to attend the gardening, meditation, and other earthly practices.

A description of themselves from their website: “Here in this small community, we base our lives on our values of sustainability, freedom, responsibility and community. We support one another to live in integrity to our shared values, and hold one another to a high standard of truth, responsibility and conscious evolution.
We believe that in order to live a life of honor and good conscience, and also a life of enjoyment and abundance, we must be true and responsible to the Earth that gives and supports our lives, and to our fellow beings who are truly all our spiritual brothers and sisters.[adinserter block=”1″]

Therefore, it is our belief that one must cultivate a full spectrum consciousness of sustainability and allow that to be the foundation for one’s relationship with all aspects of daily life.
With maximum sustainability as our primary guideline for interacting with the material world, we provide sustainable solutions not only for the big things like housing and food, but also for the little things like toilet paper and dishes. By upgrading many little aspects of a typical unsustainable life, BIG results occur.”  Garden of Eden Facebook Page

By Andre’ Gabriel Esparza -DontComply.com