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Mattole Activists Assaulted, Arrested After Serving Subpoena for Pepper Spray Trial
Humboldt County Sheriffs, who are defendants in the pepper spray case, refused to take reports from activists after the assault.
Humboldt County, CA - Five Mattole Forest Defense activists were arrested early Wednesday morning after serving a subpoena to Pacific Lumber’s head of Security. Carl Anderson, an ex-sheriff’s deputy, who has lead the timber corporation’s face to face opposition to activists in the woods for over a decade, was served a subpoena to appear at the infamous pepper spray trial in San Francisco, which starts September 7. The case dates back to 1997, when non-violent forest activists were subjected to torture, in the form of pepper spray swabbed in their eyes. The pepper spray victims, who are the plaintiffs in the case, subpoenaed Anderson to testify at trial.
Both the service of the subpoena, and the subsequent assault, took place on state park land near the entrance to PL property. The activists documented proper service of the subpoena with a video camera, as they have learned the hard way that PL representatives have ignored legal subpoenas in the past. Activists have been threatened and unlawfully detained during previous attempts to serve legal documents in another pending case involving PL.
Shortly after the subpoena was served, activists were met by a truck from Columbia Helicopters, who are contracted by PL to stack logs from clear-cuts. Activists reported the truck driver was aggressive with his driving, and pushing into activists’ bodies to get through them. When another truck appeared on the scene, this one a personal red pick-up truck, the driver jumped out and assaulted the woman with the camera, which was held around her neck by a strap. After he wrestled with the woman, reportedly throwing her to the ground, he began choking her with the strap as he attempted the take the camera from her. She tried to protect the camera by wrapping her body around it, but he was determined to take it from her. He pulled out a knife and eventually cut the strap, but not without cutting the woman in the process.
The sheriffs arrived sometime thereafter, but refused to take reports from activists. They did, however, take notes on the report offered by Carl Anderson. The activists attempted to notify the deputies that they had been assaulted, to which Anderson reportedly joked to the Officer Carla Bolton, “What are you going to do, arrest me?” Given the number of times activists have witnessed Anderson giving orders to the sheriffs’, opening the doors to their trucks and helping himself to their vehicle phones and equipment, the answer wasn’t hard to guess. Five activists were arrested, and the videotape and mangled camera confiscated along with the proof of service of the subpoena.
The five activists were released from jail Friday afternoon. Trial has been set for September 20, 2004 at 8:30 at the Humboldt County Courthouse in Eureka.
Both the service of the subpoena, and the subsequent assault, took place on state park land near the entrance to PL property. The activists documented proper service of the subpoena with a video camera, as they have learned the hard way that PL representatives have ignored legal subpoenas in the past. Activists have been threatened and unlawfully detained during previous attempts to serve legal documents in another pending case involving PL.
Shortly after the subpoena was served, activists were met by a truck from Columbia Helicopters, who are contracted by PL to stack logs from clear-cuts. Activists reported the truck driver was aggressive with his driving, and pushing into activists’ bodies to get through them. When another truck appeared on the scene, this one a personal red pick-up truck, the driver jumped out and assaulted the woman with the camera, which was held around her neck by a strap. After he wrestled with the woman, reportedly throwing her to the ground, he began choking her with the strap as he attempted the take the camera from her. She tried to protect the camera by wrapping her body around it, but he was determined to take it from her. He pulled out a knife and eventually cut the strap, but not without cutting the woman in the process.
The sheriffs arrived sometime thereafter, but refused to take reports from activists. They did, however, take notes on the report offered by Carl Anderson. The activists attempted to notify the deputies that they had been assaulted, to which Anderson reportedly joked to the Officer Carla Bolton, “What are you going to do, arrest me?” Given the number of times activists have witnessed Anderson giving orders to the sheriffs’, opening the doors to their trucks and helping himself to their vehicle phones and equipment, the answer wasn’t hard to guess. Five activists were arrested, and the videotape and mangled camera confiscated along with the proof of service of the subpoena.
The five activists were released from jail Friday afternoon. Trial has been set for September 20, 2004 at 8:30 at the Humboldt County Courthouse in Eureka.
For more information:
http://www.contrast.org/treesit
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Northcoast Earth First! and Mattole Forest Defenders
Press Release:
Aug. 26, 04'
Forest Defenders Violently Accosted
In Early Morning Mattole Encounter
At approximately 5:30 Wednesday morning, logging trucks
arrived at Fox Camp, entrance to the Mattole Old Growth Fir forests and their watersheds, being liquidated by Maxxam/Pacific Lumber. They found four Forest Defenders standing before the gate. What erupted was swift, chaotic.
Two truckers ran their rigs right through the Defenders
line, while others got out to yell and threaten Defenders. A red
pickup, seen at moments of hostility just over two weeks ago at this very spot, raced up and swerved past and bruised the leg of a
woman, who calls herself Indica, who had been standing aside with a video camera recording. He jumped out and grabbed her camera from behind, yanking her off the ground, she being strangled and unable to speak, because of the strap around her neck, struggling for breath, he pulling out a knife to cut the strap and throwing her to the ground. She had raised her hands to defend herself from the knife and was cut on the arm. Picking her up he slammed her to the ground again, this time injuring her leg. She appeared stunned and hurt, the rest of the Defenders traumatized by the attack. The man finally coming to his senses, jumped into his truck and sped off. Sheriffs arrived and when asked for help by the Defenders, were told to be quiet and wait, and then simply ignored. The trucker had destroyed the camera.
Carl Anderson, the companies security chief arrived to warn
Defenders to leave, but he was reminded by them, of the same kind of treatment at this gate not long ago. Defenders chose to serve Anderson right there, with a subpoena to be present in the Pepper Spray case finally reaching the Court Of Appeals in San Francisco. The official video recording of that famous case of Sheriffs daubing eyes of Defenders years ago in Scotia had been flashed to shocked people across the nation, a punishment expected to become an established and official method to use against protesting.
More Sheriffs and a paddy wagon arrived, Anderson turning
to talk with them where upon all Defenders present were arrested, charged with trespass, which has continually been overthrown in court when used to charge protestors at this very spot. Officers were not reluctant to join in. Sheriff's Deputy Carla Bolton accosted a woman who goes by the name of Radish, throwing her on the ground and forcefully handcuffing her so tightly her hands turned blue, leaving deep marks on her wrist when they were finally removed hours later in jail. The woman named Indica was refused medical attention, her injuries not addressed until over 24 hours later in her second day in jail. A request is being made to the Sheriffs Department for the return of the early video footing of the incident. Sheriff Bolton's supervisor is asking for an investigation.
This violent confrontation comes as a stark "turn around"
after almost two weeks of ongoing early morning friendly discussions between loggers and Defenders at the two major entrances to the Mattole watersheds.
All this goes on simultaneously with the Heritage Bill to
save the last of Old Growth Trees on private lands, coming to the
floor of the Assembly in Sacramento tomorrow.......... an historical
moment, which addresses part of why protests of forest logging
practices have persistently gone right on for this past.
Press Release:
Aug. 26, 04'
Forest Defenders Violently Accosted
In Early Morning Mattole Encounter
At approximately 5:30 Wednesday morning, logging trucks
arrived at Fox Camp, entrance to the Mattole Old Growth Fir forests and their watersheds, being liquidated by Maxxam/Pacific Lumber. They found four Forest Defenders standing before the gate. What erupted was swift, chaotic.
Two truckers ran their rigs right through the Defenders
line, while others got out to yell and threaten Defenders. A red
pickup, seen at moments of hostility just over two weeks ago at this very spot, raced up and swerved past and bruised the leg of a
woman, who calls herself Indica, who had been standing aside with a video camera recording. He jumped out and grabbed her camera from behind, yanking her off the ground, she being strangled and unable to speak, because of the strap around her neck, struggling for breath, he pulling out a knife to cut the strap and throwing her to the ground. She had raised her hands to defend herself from the knife and was cut on the arm. Picking her up he slammed her to the ground again, this time injuring her leg. She appeared stunned and hurt, the rest of the Defenders traumatized by the attack. The man finally coming to his senses, jumped into his truck and sped off. Sheriffs arrived and when asked for help by the Defenders, were told to be quiet and wait, and then simply ignored. The trucker had destroyed the camera.
Carl Anderson, the companies security chief arrived to warn
Defenders to leave, but he was reminded by them, of the same kind of treatment at this gate not long ago. Defenders chose to serve Anderson right there, with a subpoena to be present in the Pepper Spray case finally reaching the Court Of Appeals in San Francisco. The official video recording of that famous case of Sheriffs daubing eyes of Defenders years ago in Scotia had been flashed to shocked people across the nation, a punishment expected to become an established and official method to use against protesting.
More Sheriffs and a paddy wagon arrived, Anderson turning
to talk with them where upon all Defenders present were arrested, charged with trespass, which has continually been overthrown in court when used to charge protestors at this very spot. Officers were not reluctant to join in. Sheriff's Deputy Carla Bolton accosted a woman who goes by the name of Radish, throwing her on the ground and forcefully handcuffing her so tightly her hands turned blue, leaving deep marks on her wrist when they were finally removed hours later in jail. The woman named Indica was refused medical attention, her injuries not addressed until over 24 hours later in her second day in jail. A request is being made to the Sheriffs Department for the return of the early video footing of the incident. Sheriff Bolton's supervisor is asking for an investigation.
This violent confrontation comes as a stark "turn around"
after almost two weeks of ongoing early morning friendly discussions between loggers and Defenders at the two major entrances to the Mattole watersheds.
All this goes on simultaneously with the Heritage Bill to
save the last of Old Growth Trees on private lands, coming to the
floor of the Assembly in Sacramento tomorrow.......... an historical
moment, which addresses part of why protests of forest logging
practices have persistently gone right on for this past.
For more information:
http://mattoledefense.org
What does it cost to get a camera that remotely transmits it data. That way the opposition would never get their hands on the film, and we would have all the proof we need some where else.
I learned this morning from Kim Starr, who served the subpoena on Carl Anderson that the assault on activists happened first, and the subpoena was served afterward. So, there is not a direct correlation between service of the subpoena, and activists getting assault. It is just more of the same abuse activists have been taking in the woods (and in the offices!) for years.
Sorry for the confusion.
Sorry for the confusion.
For more information:
http://www.contrast.org/treesit
Let's skip the insults and get right to your ASS-KICKING !
Is it the sound of the Heritage Tree Bill crashing? Or just a tree? How come no one is talking about it?
The Heritage Tree Bill, didn't pass, and that is a sorrowful defeat. It just means that, we activists, who care about old growth trees, will have to work harder at it! I am still going to recruit new friends, to help those old trees!
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