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Garden Lockdown Photos

Reclaim the Commons - Tuesday June 8, 2004 - San Francisco

Garden Lockdown at BIO 2004

Photos by Luke Hauser, ©2004 by RQ

Green Bloc and Pagan Cluster activists in San Francisco for the Reclaim the Commons protests of the BIO 2004 genetic-engineering conference did a lockdown garden action in the intersection of 4th and Howard, outside the main entrance to Moscone Convention Center in downtown San Francisco.

This was one of the most beautiful direct actions I have seen, with a garden of seedlings and native grasses interspersed with blockaders. Following a suggestion from the Green Bloc, participants took one of three roles:

  • "Rocks," who planned to do a lockdown circle using specially prepared tubing and ring-clips.
  • "Faeries," who clustered inside the lockdown and tended both the garden and the locked-down blockaders.
  • "Mists," who helped occupy the intersection and set up the garden, then drifted back to the sidewalks to avoid arrest.

For more information, visit www.reclaimthecommons.net


Pagan Cluster activists approach the intersection from the West, laden with greenery.


The Green Bloc arrives from the South.


Chaos in the streets as Green Bloc and Pagan Cluster activists carry the garden into the intersection.


About 15 "rocks" locked down in the intersection. In the center, a garden of potted plants was set up, clustering plants that usually grow together. The plants were propagated during the Spring in preparation for the greening of the streets.


Inside the lockdown, "faeries" tended plants and the locked-down "rocks."

A larger group of "mists," free-floating activists helped close the street and set up the garden, then moved back to the sidewalks when arrest warnings were issued.

Click for photos page 2

Luke Hauser is a freelance parajournalist in the service of the Goddess and planetary revolution. His photo-filled book Direct Action is an historical novel about Bay Area protests.
Photos ©2004 by RQ. Please do not copy, reproduce, fold, spindle, mutilate, or otherwise use them without written permission. Thanks!
To contact the Pagan Cluster or Green Bloc, email Reclaiming Quarterly, quarterly@reclaiming.org

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