tensions escalate at Freshwater tree-sits

Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters

For immediate release
March 28, 2003
Contact: Karen Pickett

Activists Concerned As Tensions Escalate in the Forest

Unknown Person Provokes Violence in Freshwater

Activists supporting the on-going tree-sits in the Freshwater watershed expressed concern today as a fight broke out between Pacific Lumber employees and a person unknown to the activists. The activists associated with Earth First! and others carrying out the protests in opposition to liquidation logging by Maxxam/Pacific Lumber have been resolute in their commitment to non-violent tactics, even in the face of violence. Protesters have been assaulted, hog-tied, and placed in extremely dangerous circumstances as PL-hired climbers have been carrying out a campaign to remove tree-sitters from their perches in giant old growth trees. Climbers have in some cases climbed the redwood trees 150 to 200 feet up, hand-cuffed activists' wrists and ankles before lowering them to the ground. At least two criminal assault complaints have been filed by activists injured on the ground. In the face of all this, activists have not only remained non-violent, but insisted that everyone participating in the protests attend non-violence trainings.

However, on Friday morning a person not affiliated with any of the activists entered Pacific Lumber property near the tree-sits and ended up in a physical altercation with PL security and loggers. This individual was in this area on his own accordance and entered into the fall zone area. As activists yelled at him to stop, he allegedly brandished a knife, was apprehended by the logging contractor's security personnel and was arrested.

Tree-sitter Opal, who was present at the scene said, "We do not condone this behavior. We do not know who this guy is, or where he is from. He is certainly not with Earth First! He showed up a couple weeks ago out of the blue, encouraging behavior that is contrary to our non-violence code. We do not know if he is a provocateur or wingnut or both. He is not in any way, a representative of the forest defense movement. We urge all newcomers, to participate in non-violence training. We also ask that Pacific Lumber stop cutting trees within tree-sit areas in order to diffuse tensions."

At last Tuesday's Humboldt county Board of Supervisor's meeting, tree-sitter Remedy, who lived in an old growth redwood tree in Freshwater for 362 days, urged the supervisors to help prevent further casualties as tensions mount, asking them to recognize the casualties already incurred due to Maxxam's takeover of Humboldt county resources, including:
--Once- abundant runs of Salmon
--Countless hillsides
--Several families' homes in Stafford, buried in mud
--The intergrity of state agencies, specifically Calif. Dept. of Forestry and the Board of Forestry
--Truth
--Justice
--David Nathan Chain aka "Gypsy", killed in 1998 when an angry PL logger felled a tree on him.

As protests continue, PL is in court answering environmental groups and the Steelworkers union challenge to their Sustained Yeild Plan, and the county DA has filed a $250 million fraud lawsuit.