East of MLK Park in Berkeley for blocks and blocks, there isn’t a whole lot of non-concrete and non-asphalt surface. I can think of just one bit – a very small strip of green on the west side of the Downtown Berkeley Post Office. It supports a couple of trees, but has otherwise been lacking in vegetation for many years.
That is about to change.
On Saturday, January 10th, peeps from First They Came for the Homeless, Berkeley Post Office Defenders, Save the Berkeley Post Office, Occupy the Farm and others in the community began preparing that ground for a Community Garden. It’s scheduled to be planted on January 17th. As one or the organizers put it
“We have had offers of donations of plants, soil and mulch and look forward to next Saturday, Jan 17th at noon when we will be planting. This direct action garden effort is helping us to deepen our connection with individuals and community organizations in support of effort to oppose privitization and theft of our post offices and other public commons.”
In other Berkeley Post Office news, the Postal Police, who had been “raiding” the Occupation on and off for three weeks before Christmas, have not returned. Although who can predict whether the seditious danger of a community garden may prompt them to, perhaps literally, stomp it out?
The lawsuit against the sale, as is the wont of lawsuits, continues on its agonizingly slow pace. The next court date is not until March 19th, when Judge Alsup will hold a hearing on whether to dismiss the City of Berkeley’s lawsuit against the sale or allow it to continue.
Here is a history of the campaign to save the Berkeley Post Office and fight privatization.
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