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A rather large community of Cleveland areas Pagans, artists, etc. have regularly celebrated Equinoxes, Solstices and Lammas at this land through ceremony, drumming, and festivity. Beltane was celebrated by this community at the terraced property of a nearby Ohio City Pagan until 1998, at which time the Tremont community Beltane celebration moved to Frank's property because of harassment at the Ohio City site.
Over the past five years, police and city inspectors have been to Frank's house questioning him about being a Witch and spreading rumors in his community (fortunately, Frank's relationship with most neighbors remains good). In addition, the local developers have targeted his property, zoned commercial, for becoming a bed-and-breakfast or a parking lot.
In early September 1998, Frank awoke to the sound of his dog barking, and discovered a city front-end loader bursting through his fence and city workers proceeding to destroy the organic ecosystem that he built over a decade. After he ran to get his dog out of the way of the machinery, he was maced, arrested and thrown into jail on trumped up charges of resisting arrest and aggravated disorderly conduct. The city had no court order allowing them to enter his property. The only paperwork that they were able to produce was a statement by the Division of the Environment concerning a scheduled future hearing on a departmental order to remove weeds and debris from his property. The weeds were his herbs, bushes, trees, and plants that belong there, and the debris his statues, etc.
The city proceeded to destroy his herbs, plants, statuary, trees (except for a few old trees that were butchered with chain saws), car, etc. They removed the top three inches of topsoil, to obliterate the entire ecosystem and crushed and spread glass bottles throughout his property. Money he had set aside to repair his house had to be spent on attorney's fees, etc., and his home has fallen into increasing disrepair.
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Frank is a mild mannered individual of limited means, making him seem to be an easy target. It is apparent that the City of Cleveland thinks that they can ignore Frank's rights and, without due process, destroy his property and the ecosystem built in cooperation with nature, as had been done to First Nations' peoples and their environment.
However, Frank is a friend of the Earth and of the Pagan and artistic communities; and our communities have been growing in strength. This is a call for action at several levels to fight this injustice and restore balance to the land.
At the physical level, Pagans, environmentalists, gardeners, native Americans and artists are asked to join in Thursday evening planning meetings at Frank's to work out a practical plan on how to best restore his property, and to then join in restoring the soil, planting the land and repairing his house (starting around Earth Day, April 22, 1999) and erecting statures and circles to the Goddess in the Fall of this year (as part of the Goddess 2000 initiative). Planning meetings are at 8:00 PM on Thursday evenings at or near Frank's. Please keep records of all time and expenses to help document the cost of repairing damages.
At the financial level, donations are needed to help cover legal expenses, restoration of sacred land and repair to property. A series of fund-raising concerts and events is in the early planning stages. Bands, performers and help with publicity will be needed.
At the legal level, Frank is scheduled for trial on resisting arrest and aggravated disorderly conduct arrest May 13th, and an attorney has agreed to sue the city for what it did to his land. Members of the Earth Religions Assistance Association have provided pertinent legal documentation and EPA environmental studies, and are prepared to call for additional attorney help if his attorneys request it. In addition, legal action is needed to get a judicial restraining order issued to prevent the city from again desecrating this land, and to establish such entities as are required to solicit and administer such funds and other resources as are needed to help in this effort (and associated activities).
At the PR level, press conferences, public ceremonies, letters to publications, and educational activities are needed.
Donations of plants, seeds, soil, manure, compost and materials should be sent directly to:
Frank Giglio
2288 W. 14th St.
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
after contacting him at (216) 687-9733to discuss what is needed and associated logistics.
Donation checks should be made out to Larry Cornett and sent to
Larry Cornett
890 Alhambra Rd.
Cleveland, OH 44110
Phone: (216) 692-2124
Email: lcorncalen@aol.com.
For those who do not trust me with the money, checks can be made out to Gaia Rising, a new organization dedicated to restoring and protecting sacred land, overcoming legal barriers, assuring that funds are spent for the purposes intended, etc. Board members include Larry Cornett (of NEO-ERAA, CAW, PAC, ACE, etc.) and Bill Obbagy (editor of the Cleveland Citizen).
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