Multiple arrests, woman still up tree as government prepares to sell community garden for housing
Updated ,first published
More than a dozen riot police were called and people were arrested as a community garden in Brisbane’s inner south was barricaded on Monday; At least one protester spent the night in a tree as the state government prepared to sell the land for housing.
Kurilpa Commons is a collective where a wide range of fruit and vegetables are grown by volunteers, on the corner of Boundary and Dudley streets, near the border of the West End and Highgate Hill. The project was launched on government-owned land during the COVID pandemic and is also used for community events.
Government representatives and contractors arrived at the site around 7am on Monday morning, cementing fences and erecting signs announcing the land would be transferred to Queensland Economic Development ahead of a possible sale.
Shortly thereafter, protesters arrived on the scene, the scene escalated and PSRT Police officers were called. At least six people who tried to climb trees in the garden were arrested for trespassing.
Two people remained in the trees until evening, while around 20 people stood outside the fences calling for police and others to evacuate the House of Commons.
“Destroying a community garden that grows food for people in the local community in the middle of a cost of living crisis and arresting people for trying to grow their own food is ridiculous,” said member Shane Cucow.
“And also the police presence… it’s just crazy.”
Jemika Lancaster, whose sister was found high up in a nearby tree in the fenced area, added that the garden played an important role in binding the community together and said her friend Zoe’s ashes were scattered around the area.
“It’s a place to gather, a place to celebrate and commemorate who we are… and also what kind of world we want to live in… a place to really come together in a world where there are so few third spaces.”
Police confirmed Tuesday morning that at least one person had spent the night in a tree and trapped inside fences. While there were approximately 10 protesters at the scene, police officers remained at the scene.
A representative from Queensland Economic Development suggested the land would be sold for development.
“The site, owned by Queensland taxpayers, is poised to meet a community need: more housing,” the statement said.
“The land is owned by Queenslanders and has never been approved for continuing occupation or as a community garden and users were made well aware of this some time ago.”
Queensland Police said their team was called just after noon and they arrested six people over the disturbance.
At around 7pm, a spokesman said: “Officers continue to remove two men from climbing the tree to ensure they are removed safely.”
Brisbane City Council’s regional representative, the Greens’ Trina Massey, slammed the decision to show up unannounced and barricade community members.
“By fencing off Kurilpa Commons, the state government has left out the community that has transformed this vacant public land into a thriving community space,” he said.
“Once again, the provincial government is working overtime to sell community-owned public lands while leaving the community out of decisions about its future. Communities deserve transparency and input on public lands, not fences that pop up overnight.”
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