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East Bay | Environment & Forest Defense

Six Arrested for Planting Oak Seedling
by tristan
Sunday Jul 20th, 2008 8:24 PM
Today six people were arrested at a Memorial Oak Grove protest for planting a seedling on the Chancellor's lawn.

Every week we meet at 2:00 pm on Sundays to support the Memorial oak Grove tree sit. We tried to get the tree sitters food in past weeks but the police have made it so difficult to succeed. For instance this Sunday, and last, they stationed a cherry picker to block the tree sitters from being able to get to the trees near the sidewalk. This week we decided to have a different kind of action. We all gathered and then marched to the Chancellor's mansion. Police got there before us and kept us away from the building. We gathered on a lawn outside of the hedge around the yard proper. We held a prayer for Rosebud Denovo, killed in this building in 1992 and for Donna Spring, recently deceased Berkeley City Council member who supported the Oaks.

We gathered in a circle. A small oak seedling that was grown from an acorn from Memorial oak grove was placed in the middle. Several people went to it and began to dig a hole in the ground. The police came closer and filmed. The soil was hard and they scraped it away with sticks and bits of metal. Finally they had a nice hole ad planted the young tree. We relaxed around it and tried to imagine it in 200 years. Some people split off and headed up to the Oak Grove. In a bit we got a call. The police were arresting some of the people for damage to the lawn. More people rushed up there. Others headed off to get away but two cops cars sped after us and the cops arrested two more people for the supposed crime of planting a tree. Eventually five people were arrested for planting a small tree and one for objecting to the arrests.

Please come next Sunday at 2:00.

check out saveoaks.com for more info.
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by tristan Sunday Jul 20th, 2008 8:24 PM

People gather in the middle of the circle while Terry Compost gives us an explanation of the non native, invasive grasses found in the lawn and the UC professor who brought them to California. Terry was later arrested.
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by tristan Sunday Jul 20th, 2008 8:24 PM

Police gather near by and video tape our gathering.
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by tristan Sunday Jul 20th, 2008 8:24 PM

Limb holds the seedling oak while other dig out the grass. He was later arrested.
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by tristan Sunday Jul 20th, 2008 8:24 PM

Many hands make light work.
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by tristan Sunday Jul 20th, 2008 8:24 PM

People play drums and look on as others make the hole.
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by tristan Sunday Jul 20th, 2008 8:24 PM

Sea Star examines the oak seedling. She was later arrested.
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by tristan Sunday Jul 20th, 2008 8:24 PM

The oak is planted.
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by tristan Sunday Jul 20th, 2008 8:24 PM

The soil is patted down and the tree is watered. All three of these people were later arrested.
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by tristan Sunday Jul 20th, 2008 8:24 PM

The oak seedling in its new home. Let a thousand oak groves bloom.
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by tristan Sunday Jul 20th, 2008 8:24 PM

Oak supporters and police view the newly planted tree with the chancellor's mansion in the background.
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by tristan Sunday Jul 20th, 2008 8:24 PM

A flower necklace is placed around the tree while a man connects with it. Both people later arrested.
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by tristan Sunday Jul 20th, 2008 8:24 PM

Ayr hold up a cell phone to tell the tree sitters of our action and hear their response.
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by tristan Sunday Jul 20th, 2008 8:24 PM

People enjoy the newly planted tree.
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by tristan Sunday Jul 20th, 2008 8:24 PM

The new oak.
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by tristan Sunday Jul 20th, 2008 8:24 PM

People hang out on the lawn and enjoy the evening.
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by tristan Sunday Jul 20th, 2008 8:24 PM

Arthur holds up an ER bar. This is the only food that the tree sitters have received in weeks. It is not really food for a sustainable diet.
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by tristan Sunday Jul 20th, 2008 8:24 PM

police arrest Terry Compost for alleged tree planting.
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by tristan Sunday Jul 20th, 2008 8:24 PM

Another guy is arrested for alleged tree planting.
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by tristan Sunday Jul 20th, 2008 8:24 PM

People gather in a vigil around the new oak tree.