I just value human life a little higher than a bag of groceries Los Angeles resident

Long queues formed as up to 1,000 people gathered to collect bags containing turkey, bread, milk, eggs, fruit and vegetables.

The handouts were organised through charitable organisations, but in at least two of the food banks, fighting broke out and there were clashes with the organisers and police.

In Oakland, California, the 5,000-strong crowd grew angry when organisers threw food from a window to them as they waited below.

One policeman was stabbed and one man in the crowd was knocked unconscious as people began throwing cans of food back again.

Many of those who were meant to benefit turned down the food aid, saying they were horrified at the SLA's tactics.

"I'm not a wealthy person, but if I needed some food I wouldn't accept that food," said one woman. "That's a lousy way to get food, you know, at the expense of other people's happiness."

"I wouldn't accept it," said another resident of one of the poorer areas of Los Angeles. "I just value human life a little higher than a bag of groceries."

The SLA's demand for the handouts came accompanied by a taped appeal from Patricia Hearst herself earlier this month.

Miss Hearst has been held captive for over two weeks by the shadowy underground group.

In the tape, she sobbed and told her parents her captors were "perfectly willing to die for what they do".

She begged, "I want to get out of here, but the only way is if you do what they say and do it quickly."

The organisation of today's food distribution, however, was dismissed by another tape recording yesterday - the fourth sent by the SLA.

In the tape, which contained a short recording of Miss Hearst's voice, a member of the gang calling himself Cinque described Mr Hearst's efforts as "a few crumbs".

He demanded a further $4m (£2.6m) in food handouts within one week.

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