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Last Four Oak Grove Tree Sitters Forced Down
Today the University forced the last four tree sitters to come down. One 21-month chapter of struggle ends - Let A Thousand Oak Groves Bloom.
At 8:00 am the university attacked the Oak Grove for the last time. The rest of the trees in the grove that the university planned to cut had been cut on friday (9/5/08). Saturday and Sunday they ground up all of the trees to wood chips. Only the redwood tree with four tree sitters remained. Today (9/8/08) workers slowly built a scaffolding all the way up the Redwood tree. Hundreds of supporters, curious students and media members gathered for hours. many were outraged to see the beautiful grove destroyed and their friends endangered. Police arrested five people during the day. Finally the scaffolding reached up to the tree sitter's platform. Arborists then used chainsaws to cut branches and part of the platform. The tree sitters faced inevitable arrest but the university faced a tremendous challenge to get them in a dangerous way with hundreds of people looking on. So at this point the sides negotiated. The university agreed to allow tree supporters to have input on a lands commission and have a say in future projects. The tree sitters came down. No one died. they were arrested. The tree was cut into four sections and carried off by the crane. So ends a 21-month chapter of struggle. It meant so much to so many of us. I still remember lichens, footholds, views - all gone now.
People came by asking what we will do now. There are many things to do. Injustice and destruction is everywhere so it makes it easy. Join us or do it yourself. See you in the trees somewhere.
People came by asking what we will do now. There are many things to do. Injustice and destruction is everywhere so it makes it easy. Join us or do it yourself. See you in the trees somewhere.
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Brand Scaffolding services is located at 4755 e commerce ave in fresno. For those of us in Fresno we should give them a visit. A daytime visit is fine. A night time visit might prove more fruitfull.
here's a yahoo map link to their location:
http://maps.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTExNmIycG51BF9TAzI3MTYxNDkEc2VjA2ZwLWJ1dHRvbgRzbGsDbGluaw--#mvt=m&lat=36.710744&lon=-119.740249&zoom=15&q1=4755%20e%20commerce%20ave%2C%20fresno%20ca&gid1=21275877
here's a yahoo map link to their location:
http://maps.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTExNmIycG51BF9TAzI3MTYxNDkEc2VjA2ZwLWJ1dHRvbgRzbGsDbGluaw--#mvt=m&lat=36.710744&lon=-119.740249&zoom=15&q1=4755%20e%20commerce%20ave%2C%20fresno%20ca&gid1=21275877
sad that so called progress has wiped out this grove, but it is fantastic to see the resistance. inspirational. there are a few nah sayers out there commenting on mainstream articles about this. to them, get off your duff and do something. the folks struggling to protect this grove might not be perfect, but they're righteous. more people putting themselves on the line defending the planet is a fantastic thing! nice to see this struggle over the past 21 months. it kindles the heart to see this awesome fight and people struggling and carrying on the resistance. yea, the trees are gone, but they lasted 21 months longer than they would have. it's been on tv and it keeps the issues relating to space preservation and tree protection in people's minds.
thank you to all who struggled to protect that forest!
thank you to all who struggled to protect that forest!
UC Berkeley cops behavior is totally unneccesary and disgusting. They must have had some training from Prof. Yoo. They, the university seem to be out of control and obsessed. They went way overboard on their fences, their lights, their PR campaign - its was a big show.
The students have shown that they are mostly coopted. It is sad. They have no clue as to what is happening in America. they think they will live the american dream when the nightmare appears to be on the way.
The students have shown that they are mostly coopted. It is sad. They have no clue as to what is happening in America. they think they will live the american dream when the nightmare appears to be on the way.
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