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Gathering at Tree-Sit Thanksgiving as Police Escalate Arrests and Harassment
Police Escalate Arrests, Lights and Fence at Berkeley Oaks Tree-Sit
Tree-Sitters and Supporters Call for Thanksgiving Gathering as Food and Water are Blocked
photo: tristan's
Tree-Sitters and Supporters Call for Thanksgiving Gathering as Food and Water are Blocked
photo: tristan's
Berkeley-UC Berkeley (UCB) police have stepped up their efforts to shut down the nearly year-long protest at the Memorial Oak Grove in Berkeley, where the University wants to level the trees for a massive construction project, and a diverse community of people including tree-sitters have been defending the trees and a Native American burial site the development would desecrate. Several arrests have taken place in recent days, including those at a indigenous prayer vigil last Wednesday night, through Monday’s arrest of Ayr, well-known organizer and primary ground support for the tree-sitters, who was arrested at a nearby coffee shop. The day prior, Zachary Running Wolf, Native American activist who helped launch the tree-sit when he climbed a tree in the grove along with two other activists December 2, 2006 was arrested for the eighth time.
Oak supporters are calling for an 11 am Thanksgiving Day gathering at the Grove, located in the 2000 block of Piedmont Avenue in Berkeley, next to the International House and Bancroft Way. A group of mothers will bring holiday pies to feed the sitters, and a “Thanksgiving Turkey” will walk up to the grove with food for the tree defenders as well.
UCB posted copies of an injunction they say allows them to arrest those “acting in concert” with the tree-sitters, and have blocked food and water supplies going to the sitters, as well as harassing and arresting those supporters attempting to remove buckets of waste from the tree-sitters and supply for basic needs. UCB recently constructed a second barbed-wire fence around the Memorial Oak Grove, at a cost of $80,000, enclosing approximately ten tree-sitters inside. Exactly what constitutes "acting in concert" is debatable. Anyone handing anything up to the trees: food, water, or supplies including buckets for human waste, is subject to a $1,000 fine and/or five days in jail. UCPD officers have further alleged that talking to tree-sitters is a violation.
UC Police have not wasted any time in enforcing their new privileges. Police presence and harassment has increased and UCPD officers are randomly threatening supporters for simply being on site, and have intentionally provoked ground-supporters by stealing personal property. Harassment of the tree-sitters has increased as well. Intense lights powered by noisy gas-generators are pointed upwards into the trees at the sitters every night, making a good nights rest impossible.
It appears UC has adopted a "starve-out" strategy, hoping to force the sitters out by isolating them from ground support, depriving them of sleep, warm food, and water.
A decision in several lawsuits challenging UCB’s development plans is expected any day by Alameda County Superior Court Judge Barbara Miller. It is illegal under City of Berkeley law to cut heritage oaks such as the trees in the grove under the Berkeley Coast Live Oak Moratorium.
Supporters the tree-sit and the preservation of the grove, ask the UC Berkeley administration to allow the removal of human waste from the trees, the continued open supply of food and water.
For immediate release: November 21, 2007
###
Oak supporters are calling for an 11 am Thanksgiving Day gathering at the Grove, located in the 2000 block of Piedmont Avenue in Berkeley, next to the International House and Bancroft Way. A group of mothers will bring holiday pies to feed the sitters, and a “Thanksgiving Turkey” will walk up to the grove with food for the tree defenders as well.
UCB posted copies of an injunction they say allows them to arrest those “acting in concert” with the tree-sitters, and have blocked food and water supplies going to the sitters, as well as harassing and arresting those supporters attempting to remove buckets of waste from the tree-sitters and supply for basic needs. UCB recently constructed a second barbed-wire fence around the Memorial Oak Grove, at a cost of $80,000, enclosing approximately ten tree-sitters inside. Exactly what constitutes "acting in concert" is debatable. Anyone handing anything up to the trees: food, water, or supplies including buckets for human waste, is subject to a $1,000 fine and/or five days in jail. UCPD officers have further alleged that talking to tree-sitters is a violation.
UC Police have not wasted any time in enforcing their new privileges. Police presence and harassment has increased and UCPD officers are randomly threatening supporters for simply being on site, and have intentionally provoked ground-supporters by stealing personal property. Harassment of the tree-sitters has increased as well. Intense lights powered by noisy gas-generators are pointed upwards into the trees at the sitters every night, making a good nights rest impossible.
It appears UC has adopted a "starve-out" strategy, hoping to force the sitters out by isolating them from ground support, depriving them of sleep, warm food, and water.
A decision in several lawsuits challenging UCB’s development plans is expected any day by Alameda County Superior Court Judge Barbara Miller. It is illegal under City of Berkeley law to cut heritage oaks such as the trees in the grove under the Berkeley Coast Live Oak Moratorium.
Supporters the tree-sit and the preservation of the grove, ask the UC Berkeley administration to allow the removal of human waste from the trees, the continued open supply of food and water.
For immediate release: November 21, 2007
###
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this is an example of hard-headed people in positions of seeming power making wrong decisions about shutting down something natural that is needed in favor of an homage to sport competition that inflates egos and wallets of the chosen ones. i am saddened by such foolishness.
may god bless the hearts of all involved that sanity prevails and we all come together to do the right thing. i've been to that campus. the whole town could use a lot more trees and a lot less concrete.
may god bless the hearts of all involved that sanity prevails and we all come together to do the right thing. i've been to that campus. the whole town could use a lot more trees and a lot less concrete.
Agents of the UCB-PD are conspiring to frame me for felony battery against police officers. 4 counts of assault with an unknown chemical agent which endangered their safety. However I am innocent of the comic-bookish allegations.
I did not splatter cops with an unknown chemical agent. I did nothing that night which would have caused any officer harm.
Aside from the fact that I did not spray people with chemicals, there are also the following facts:
The container which Chemical X was supposedly in is missing. It would have been the only physical evidence linking me directly to the alleged acts of terrorism, but the cops do not have a container.
The cops do not have a solid headcount of how many I allegedly assulted with the alleged Chemical X. First only one cop complained, then 2, then 5, then 3, then a solid 4, then a very vague “3 or more”.
Chemical X has amazing properties. Chemical X is sometimes urine. Sometimes its a sticky substance. Sometimes its like pepperspray. Sometimes it’s a harsher acid and can burn clothing. No 2 cops describe the same experiences when encountering Chemical X.
A cop presented a shotgun to me as a hostile reminder to co-operate.
I was not read miranda rights.
I was detained in a manner that violated protections granted to me by law as a disabled person. I have video evidence the cops were told I am disabled. I was not granted access to medication nor a nurse/doctor.
I had to wait 24 hours before being granted a phone call.
I was not allowed to read the arrest report despite being told I was allowed to do so. I was forced to sign the arrest report with the text of the allegations folded under so I could not read them.
Post-bail, I was detained illgally for a second night, rather just just being held for one.
And one more time for good measure…. I DID NOT POUR CHEMICAL AGENTS ON POLICE.
==========
Nathan Pitts
savenate [at] yahoo.com
I did not splatter cops with an unknown chemical agent. I did nothing that night which would have caused any officer harm.
Aside from the fact that I did not spray people with chemicals, there are also the following facts:
The container which Chemical X was supposedly in is missing. It would have been the only physical evidence linking me directly to the alleged acts of terrorism, but the cops do not have a container.
The cops do not have a solid headcount of how many I allegedly assulted with the alleged Chemical X. First only one cop complained, then 2, then 5, then 3, then a solid 4, then a very vague “3 or more”.
Chemical X has amazing properties. Chemical X is sometimes urine. Sometimes its a sticky substance. Sometimes its like pepperspray. Sometimes it’s a harsher acid and can burn clothing. No 2 cops describe the same experiences when encountering Chemical X.
A cop presented a shotgun to me as a hostile reminder to co-operate.
I was not read miranda rights.
I was detained in a manner that violated protections granted to me by law as a disabled person. I have video evidence the cops were told I am disabled. I was not granted access to medication nor a nurse/doctor.
I had to wait 24 hours before being granted a phone call.
I was not allowed to read the arrest report despite being told I was allowed to do so. I was forced to sign the arrest report with the text of the allegations folded under so I could not read them.
Post-bail, I was detained illgally for a second night, rather just just being held for one.
And one more time for good measure…. I DID NOT POUR CHEMICAL AGENTS ON POLICE.
==========
Nathan Pitts
savenate [at] yahoo.com
Christine, you wrote: "an example of hard-headed people in positions of seeming power making wrong decisions about shutting down something natural that is needed in favor of an homage to sport competition that inflates egos and wallets of the chosen ones"
This is a pretty superficial outsider view. Please consider the following
1- the people in position of power are actually on the protestors' side. They include very wealthy homeowners in Berkeley's wealthiest neighborhood who have consistently lobbied against the students and campus community. They want to turn the area into a suburb, have succesfully campaigned to muzzle the concert series at the greek theater nearby. They want to shut down the football program at berkeley because they hate having crowds come near their neighborhood 6 times a year.
Also, the mayor and much of city council are riding this campaign for political gains.
2- The local campus community ACTUALLY SUPPORTS the project. The problem with most of the activists is that they are outsiders, and the few locals have been swayed by false claims and pseudo-ecological arguments.
3- The new building is badly needed, it is a question of LIFE AND DEATH, it is meant to take the 500 people who work and exercise inside the stadium out of harm's way, that structure is seismically unstable.
4-Greed is not the impetus of the new building, to the contrary. It is a GRASSROOTS EFFORT, ALL THE FUNDS are raised by the campus community, mostly alumni who have lived in the area and love their campus more than any out-of-town treesitters looking for notoriety.
5- the fact is you hate college football, but you should not impose your own personal cultural aversion upon others. Football games at Cal are events that many in the local community hold very dear and the new building is crucial to its health, as well as the continued support of dozens of other programs fo young men and women on campus, whose funding depends on the success of the football program.
This is a pretty superficial outsider view. Please consider the following
1- the people in position of power are actually on the protestors' side. They include very wealthy homeowners in Berkeley's wealthiest neighborhood who have consistently lobbied against the students and campus community. They want to turn the area into a suburb, have succesfully campaigned to muzzle the concert series at the greek theater nearby. They want to shut down the football program at berkeley because they hate having crowds come near their neighborhood 6 times a year.
Also, the mayor and much of city council are riding this campaign for political gains.
2- The local campus community ACTUALLY SUPPORTS the project. The problem with most of the activists is that they are outsiders, and the few locals have been swayed by false claims and pseudo-ecological arguments.
3- The new building is badly needed, it is a question of LIFE AND DEATH, it is meant to take the 500 people who work and exercise inside the stadium out of harm's way, that structure is seismically unstable.
4-Greed is not the impetus of the new building, to the contrary. It is a GRASSROOTS EFFORT, ALL THE FUNDS are raised by the campus community, mostly alumni who have lived in the area and love their campus more than any out-of-town treesitters looking for notoriety.
5- the fact is you hate college football, but you should not impose your own personal cultural aversion upon others. Football games at Cal are events that many in the local community hold very dear and the new building is crucial to its health, as well as the continued support of dozens of other programs fo young men and women on campus, whose funding depends on the success of the football program.
Contact The University
Let them know how you feel about protecting the magnificent Oak grove near Memorial Stadium.
UC President Robert Dynes
1111 Franklin Street #12113
Oakland, CA 94607-5200
Phone: (510) 987-9074
Fax: (510) 987-9086
UC Berkeley Chancellor
Robert Birgeneau
200 California Hall #1500
Berkeley, CA 94720-1500
Phone: (510) 642-7464
Fax: (510) 643-5499
UC Board of Regents
1111 Franklin Street
Oakland, CA 94607-5200
Phone: (510) 987-9220
Fax: (510) 987-9224
--------------
http://SaveOaks.com
Speak Out:
http://saveoaks.com/SaveOaks/Speak%20Out.html
Sign up for Action Alerts:
http://saveoaks.com/SaveOaks/Action%20Alerts.html
Alternatives:
http://saveoaks.com/SaveOaks/Alternatives.html
Learn More:
http://saveoaks.com/SaveOaks/Learn%20More.html
End the sports/construction/automobile/asphalt industry gangsterism in UC Berkeley, the City of Berkeley, and the world. We should be growing organic vegetables for exercise, not dribbling rubber on concrete.
Let them know how you feel about protecting the magnificent Oak grove near Memorial Stadium.
UC President Robert Dynes
1111 Franklin Street #12113
Oakland, CA 94607-5200
Phone: (510) 987-9074
Fax: (510) 987-9086
UC Berkeley Chancellor
Robert Birgeneau
200 California Hall #1500
Berkeley, CA 94720-1500
Phone: (510) 642-7464
Fax: (510) 643-5499
UC Board of Regents
1111 Franklin Street
Oakland, CA 94607-5200
Phone: (510) 987-9220
Fax: (510) 987-9224
--------------
http://SaveOaks.com
Speak Out:
http://saveoaks.com/SaveOaks/Speak%20Out.html
Sign up for Action Alerts:
http://saveoaks.com/SaveOaks/Action%20Alerts.html
Alternatives:
http://saveoaks.com/SaveOaks/Alternatives.html
Learn More:
http://saveoaks.com/SaveOaks/Learn%20More.html
End the sports/construction/automobile/asphalt industry gangsterism in UC Berkeley, the City of Berkeley, and the world. We should be growing organic vegetables for exercise, not dribbling rubber on concrete.
For more information:
http://SaveOaks.com
Okay, I'd like to propose a new lightweight mono-rail for Berkeley. It will run from the stadium over the downtown to whatever warehouse can be bought by the college to hold the new work-out center. On game days the two opposing teams can run through the downtown to the stadium. The run will be called 'The Run For The Trees" to commemorate all of the native peoples who have ever had to do just that to escape being enslaved, tortured and killed in the name of progress. It will be a new Berkeley tradition. Also the the oak grove will be saved for the players to recieve traditional American Indian prayers underneath their branches to ensure a good and fair battle against their respective opponents with much counting of coup. After which, under the trees respected yogi's will lead them in warm-ups.
Unsafe stadium? Nothing a few or more unsightly steel girders won't fix. After the retro-fit work is completed the girders can be dressed up by the art dept. to look like totem poles with the wings covering the horizontal beams. The extra room you need will of course be at the end of the mono-rail. Compromise can be good. Oh, the "new" stadium will be named Leonard Peltier Stadium and leached and roasted acorns will be served there. Well, maybe not the acorn thing but the rest of that is a go, eh?
Unsafe stadium? Nothing a few or more unsightly steel girders won't fix. After the retro-fit work is completed the girders can be dressed up by the art dept. to look like totem poles with the wings covering the horizontal beams. The extra room you need will of course be at the end of the mono-rail. Compromise can be good. Oh, the "new" stadium will be named Leonard Peltier Stadium and leached and roasted acorns will be served there. Well, maybe not the acorn thing but the rest of that is a go, eh?
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