Staff Reports
In a shocking turn of events, the officials in Seattle have finally removed the so-called “garden” in honor of Black Lives Matter from Cal Anderson Park. This move comes after the once-sacred garden had turned into a hotbed of crime and homelessness, forcing the city to take decisive action.
Seattle dismantles BLM garden that attracted homelessness and drug use https://t.co/WotXx303qv https://t.co/WotXx303qv
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) December 28, 2023
For months, the garden had been a blight on the park, with reports of vandalism, drug use, unauthorized camping, and even a pesky rodent problem. The once peaceful and serene park had been transformed into a haven for lawlessness and disorder. Thankfully, the city’s Parks and Recreation Department has stepped in to right this wrong and restore the park to its former glory.
The Black Lives Matter memorial garden, which had been in place since July 2020, was the brainchild of the group Black Star Farmers. However, their good intentions quickly spiraled into chaos, leading to the need for its removal. Although the volunteer farmers were able to salvage some of the plants, the damage had already been done.
Mayor Harrell and the City of Seattle are now working on conceptualizing a new commemorative garden at Cal Anderson Park in collaboration with the Black Farmers Collective and leaders in the Black community. The decision to remove the garden was met with overwhelming support from individuals like Jonathan Jones-Thomas, the Environmental Climate Justice Chairman for the NAACP in Washington state, and NAACP Seattle-King County President Darrell Powell. Both individuals expressed their dismay at the state of the garden and underscored the need for a more appropriate memorial to honor the lives lost due to police violence.
With the relentless dedication of city officials and community leaders, the park is on track to be revitalized, ensuring that it remains a safe and welcoming space for all law-abiding citizens. The removal of the Black Lives Matter memorial garden marks a turning point in the fight to restore order and respect to our public spaces.
