The Garden of Eden raid in Arlington, Texas has left its owner irked and its residents disturbed.
There is a place in Arlington, Texas, where people have lived under the impression of a sustainable lifestyle, and it’s called the Garden of Eden. Apparently, the police thought something was fishy when they decided to raid the business, destroying a lot of property and leaving a good number of residents in handcuffs.
Owner Shellie Smith said that the police came under the guise that the community was growing marijuana and involved in drug trafficking. They found nothing, though one resident was arrested for multiple traffic violations.
The raid was authorized on August 1 after officers laid out a list of suspicions for probable cause that the Garden of Eden was being used to grow and distribute marijuana, and, shortly after 7 am on August 2, the raid commenced.
Quinn Eaker, the only one arrested in the entire Garden of Eden raid, stated that every single one of their rights had been violated in the process. The police, on the other hand, claim they had acted with utmost respect and dignity, and the residents had only been detained for less than an hour.
Later the same day, police had hauled over 20,000 pounds of materials off the property, including 24 tires filled with stagnant water, several pallets, food, and furniture. City of Arlington spokeswoman Sana Syed said that the Garden of Eden had been cited for numerous violations since 2011, and its owner refused to comply and make the necessary changes.
Shellie Smith stated the damages caused by the Garden of Eden raid, “There were 15 to 20 blackberry bushes. There were sunflowers for our bees and gifting. Lots of okra, and we had a sweet potato patch that they whacked down with a Weed-Eater. The weeds that we used to shade our crops are also gone.”
Garden of Eden owner Shallie Smith says the situation is far from over, and she intends to make things right and at least get an apology.
What do you think about the Garden of Eden raid? Was it justified or just an invasion of privacy?
