Protesters quietly decry “frankenfood” in California ( 2003-06-24 15:11) (Los Angeles Times)
Foes of genetically modified food, some dressed as butterflies and giant
tomatoes, paraded through the cordoned-off streets of the capital for the second
day in a row Monday, as top federal officials and representatives of 120 nations
opened an international conference on farm technology.
Heavily-armed police wearing riot gear form a protective
cordon to keep protesters away from the California State capitol building
(background) in Sacramento, June 23,
2003.[Reuters]
The largely subdued protests
turned Sacramento's normally busy downtown core unusually quiet. Most office
buildings near the Capitol were locked, parking lots were vacant, and many
government workers stayed home. Police arrested 13 protesters on a variety of
charges.
A four-block area surrounding the Sacramento Convention Center was turned
into a virtual armed camp, blocked by traffic barricades and lines of officers
outfitted in riot gear, flanking black armored cars.
Inside, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman opened the first Ministerial
Conference and Expo on Agricultural Science and Technology with a buoyant speech
extolling the virtues of genetically modified food as the world grapples with
hunger gripping 800 million people.
"Biotechnology is already helping both small- and large-scale farmers around
the world by boosting yields, lowering costs, reducing pesticide use and making
crops more resistant to disease, pests and drought," she said.
Bioengineering advocates say crops can be embedded with pesticides or made to
withstand potent weedkillers, and can be imbued with vitamins and vaccines that
can help improve health in developing nations. Promoters of such techniques say
they have improved harvests and helped preserve the environment while helping
feed the developing world.
"There's an enormous smugness associated with the position that we who live
in bounty are going to keep the rest of humanity from catching up," said Roberto
Newell Garcia, Mexican undersecretary of agribusiness and development.
Fight With Europe
The conference is being held as the U.S. pushes the World Trade Organization
to pressure the European Union into accepting bioengineered food. U.S.
negotiators in Geneva failed to persuade the Europeans last week to lift a ban
on biotech foods. The Sacramento conference is a prelude to a possible showdown
between the U.S. and Europeans in September at a WTO conference in Cancun,
Mexico.
Activists say the long-term health risks of genetically modified foods have
not been fully studied, and risks remain. They contend the Bush administration
is acting at the behest of agricultural corporations to foist their products on
Third World countries that are uneasy about the new scientific approaches and
don't want to see their family farmers made beholden to U.S. suppliers of
seed.
"What's going on in the convention center is being billed as a solution, but
it is only a solution for the big agribusiness corporations," said Patty Lovera
of Public Citizen, which helped organize Monday's rally. "They're trying to sell
silver bullets, and there are no silver bullets."
After arresting 36 people Sunday, police made another 11 arrests Monday.
Violations included resisting arrest, failure to disperse and vandalism. About
1,500 people joined in a march through downtown Sacramento.
"I've been in worse; people for the most part are peaceful," said Sgt. Jim
Jarosick of the Sacramento Police Department. "We took it very seriously. There
was a potential. It has not materialized. But the conference has two more
days."
A number of demonstrators muttered about the police response Sunday, saying
officers overreacted when streets grew crowded. Dumpsters were turned over, a
few windows were broken and taggers hit cars with graffiti, but most of the
protesters remained nonviolent.
"What the police really are is a private security force for all the
multinational corporations gathered here," said Luke Anderson, a British
bioengineering foe and author.
By 1 p.m., the crowd had swelled to about 1,500. In the midafternoon march,
protesters ambled in a several-block circle around downtown, taking a full eight
minutes to pass the state Capitol. The mood remained festive, with protesters
dressed as colorful bugs and butterflies.
Street theater mixed with musicians and speeches. People passed out pamphlets
pitching everything under the organic sun. At a late-afternoon rally in the park
outside the Capitol, demonstrators distributed organically grown sliced peaches,
corn and vegetarian turkey.
Police arrest a protster outside the
California State capitol in Sacramento, June 23, 2003. Thousands rallied
in Sacramento to protest against genetically-engineered foods and
corporate owned farms. [Reuters]
Several
marchers, including at least one dressed as Frankenstein, made reference to
so-called "frankenfood." In addition to protesting genetically modified food,
marchers denounced clear-cutting of forests and globalization.
"We're being poisoned," said Shenaaz Janmohamed, 23, a student at Cal State
Sacramento.
"You can't play God and think you can make nature," said Kaira Espinosa, 23,
of Oakland.
Several protesters came with their children.
"I want the children to know what is going on with the food supply," said
Kofi Khemet, 45, who brought his three daughters, ages 7, 9 and 13. "I'm scared
to eat," the 9-year-old said.
Inside the Capitol, all was quiet. The Assembly met for less than an hour to
quickly approve Senate amendments on several bills, then separated into
Democratic and Republican caucuses.
The afternoon was marked by a series of relatively minor run-ins, as
protesters gathered for a rally in the Capitol park.
Arrests Foiled
At one point, a few dozen Highway Patrol officers encircled two groups of
self-described anarchists dressed in black. Within moments, a larger crowd of
protesters surrounded the officers. The police, avoiding a confrontation, backed
off.
During the standoff, officers tried to detain a woman. But as they held her
by the arms, protesters grabbed onto her ankles in an attempt to pull her free.
Police let her go.
Downtown merchants were left muttering Monday about a lost business day, as
office workers took the day off to avoid any fallout from the mass demonstration
on the Capitol steps.
Danny Haddad, owner of La Boheme cafe on the K Street Mall, surveyed his
empty restaurant shortly before noon and voiced hope that at least a few
protesters might wander by for lunch.
"They're going to be hungry," he said. "I'll feed anyone as long as they
don't break my windows."
