Seattle’s “Black Lives Matter Garden” has been closed down by authorities due to concerns regarding safety. The garden, located in Cal Anderson Park, was initially established by the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement during their violent protests and occupation of the city in 2020. However, over time, the garden transformed into a hub for criminal activities, drug use, and homelessness.

On Wednesday, the Parks and Recreation Department of Seattle, along with the city police, took action to remove the garden. Despite being promoted as a “community garden,” it had unfortunately turned into a homeless encampment that facilitated rampant crime.

City officials released a statement explaining that the removal of the makeshift garden was necessary due to public health and safety concerns. They also mentioned that the area would undergo maintenance, including reseeding and turf restoration.

In addition to dismantling the garden, efforts were made to clear out tent encampments located near the garden and along E. Olive Street outside the park. This was done to ensure that public spaces remain clean and accessible to everyone.

According to the city, the Unified Care Team has already cleaned up encampments at Cal Anderson Park 76 times this year, making it one of the most frequently addressed areas in terms of repopulated encampments.

City officials have also expressed concerns about the temporary garden, stating that it has created unsafe conditions for park-goers. Incidents such as vandalism in the park’s public bathrooms, public drug use, unauthorized camping, and an increasing rodent population have been reported. According to The Seattle Times, Seattle Parks had planned to take action in October, but faced opposition from the BLM-linked Black Star Farmers, who are responsible for overseeing the garden.

The group collected over 5,000 signatures in a petition against the park’s removal, arguing that the garden serves as a tribute to black and Indigenous individuals who were allegedly killed by the police. Supporters of the garden also claimed that it provides a space for community members to find joy and healing. However, Seattle Parks maintained that the garden needed to be removed in order to utilize the park for other purposes. The garden, located in the “Sun Bowl” area of the park, offers a venue for gatherings and events and is conveniently situated near electrical and water hookups.

The publication reported that supporters of the garden witnessed the removal process, which involved construction vehicles guarded by park rangers and police. Despite claims of no prior notice, one bystander managed to salvage some of the plants. Seattle Parks stated that they have engaged with park visitors, neighbors, and nearby businesses since 2020 to gather feedback, and the majority of responses indicated a desire to relocate the garden within the park.

The department has also stated that it has been engaging in dialogue with community activists since 2020, presenting alternative sites for the garden. However, the organizers of the garden have not found any of these locations suitable.

The city said it “remains committed to an ongoing dialogue to produce an alternative garden site.”

Version 1: Joy Hollingsworth, the council member-elect, expressed her opinion on the removal of the garden, joining other community leaders in the discussion. According to Hollingsworth, it is crucial to ensure that parks are well-maintained to provide a safe, clean, and inviting environment for everyone.

“Cal Anderson Park is the living room of Capitol Hill and a focal point of our city,” Hollingsworth said.

“It’s important that we prioritize sanitary conditions within shared public spaces so that our neighborhoods can continue to flourish.”

Many of the city’s inhabitants were unaware of the existence of a garden in the area, which was supposedly established as a memorial to commemorate the victims of fatal encounters with the police. Katrina Johnson, who is the cousin of Charleena Lyles, a woman who was fatally shot by Seattle police officers Steven McNew and Jason Anderson, had no knowledge that the BLM garden was intended as a tribute to the victims. According to the officers, Lyles had allegedly trapped them in her kitchen and was wielding a small knife.

“To make a garden without reaching out to the families and even letting them know about it tells me that this is not about our loved ones but about folks hijacking the movement and trying to make a name for themselves off of our pain and that is simply not okay,” Johnson said in a statement provided on the city’s website.

Darrell Powell, the president of the Seattle, King County NAACP, expressed that the garden was initially intended to serve as a memorial for the black lives tragically lost due to police violence. However, he emphasized that the garden has deviated from its original purpose and has become something entirely different.

“The black community is unaware of the existence of the garden, and the garden does not represent any meaningful sense, the vast number of black lives extinguished by police violence,” Powell said.

“The Seattle-King County NAACP stands with Mayor Bruce Harrell and his administration in establishing a true representation memorializing the black lives lost due to police violence.”