Berkeley, CA
July 23, 2008
Early this morning two supporters of the ongoing Berkeley O
Berkeley, CA
July 23, 2008
Early this morning two supporters of the ongoing Berkeley Oak Grove tree-sit stretched several ropes across Piedmont Avenue from a redwood on the central campus to a tree in the fenced oak grove. Within two hours they had passed six backpacks of food over the two hundred foot line to the treetop protesters. The two suppliers then joined the other tree sitters.
This maneuver caught the campus police flat-footed. Looking a little embarrassed, the officers were forced to stand and watch the aerobatics. The rope traverse was elevated about 80 feet off the ground. When asked how the tree climbers hung the rope, one of the sitters said, "Trained a squirrel to climb up with a fishing line". Today marks the 600th day of the Berkeley tree-sit.
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Berkeley, CA
June 22, 2008
Dona Spring speaks out at the Berkeley Memorial Oak Grove p
Berkeley, CA
June 22, 2008
Dona Spring speaks out at the Berkeley Memorial Oak Grove press conference on the university campus.
Councilmember Spring came to the endangered oak grove to show support for the urban tree-sit and for those protesters still lodged in the trees. She emphasized the need to provide them with adequate food and water. Spring said that the city needs to realize this is a "human rights crisis" and that they need to "get off their duff and act." The campus police have restricted ground supporters from supplying any food or water to the remaining tree sitters.
Dona was the first elected official to take action to protect the grove after the tree sit began in December 2006. We now know that her call for the temporary injunction against the cutting of the oaks was critical in shielding the grove from the axe of the UC Regents. This was the 568th day of the tree-sit and also marked Dona Spring's last public appearance. Correspondent: L A Wood
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Berkeley CA
July 14, 2008
The tree sitter who gained access to the Memorial Oak Grove
Berkeley CA
July 14, 2008
The tree sitter who gained access to the Memorial Oak Grove a week ago Sunday has opted to come down. The tree climber who goes by the name Jeff said that his decision to leave the tree-sit was due to a death in his family. Before descending the redwood tree at the north end of the grove, he took a moment to speak via walkie-talkie with the media gathered outside the fenced-in grove.
Jeff said that the food rations given to those occupying the Memorial Grove has not changed in a week since he joined the tree-sit. He said they received five gallons of water and three "ER bars 2400s" which he described as essentially enriched flower and corn syrup. He questioned why UC would not allow "someone like a clergy member or someone of faith or church to bring them up some regular food".
UC campus police, Captain Beckford, worked out a deal to allow Jeff to be cited and released, but later said he had changed his mind. So the tree sitter remains in jail tonight.Today marks the 591st day of the Berkeley tree-sit at the university campus.
Update: University claimed that there was some kind of misunderstanding and the tree sitter was finally cited and released later this evening. Press coverage helped to clear up the confusion.
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Berkeley CA
July 6, 2008
Early this afternoon, a dozen university campus police clashe
Berkeley CA
July 6, 2008
Early this afternoon, a dozen university campus police clashed with the ground supporters of the ongoing tree-sit, now in its 583rd day. The community had come to the site in an effort to lift food to the remaining tree sitters at the Memorial Stadium Oak Grove. This was the third failed attempt in three weeks. The tree sitters have been denied adequate food and supplies for twenty days because of UC's recent starve-out policy.
During this time, the community has seen an increase in UC police violence at the endangered oak grove. This aggression has even been directed at many of the Grandmothers for the Oaks, a group that has been supplying the tree-sit each Sunday afternoon since Thanksgiving Day last year. Several of their elderly members were knocked to the ground during the three-hour confrontation with the campus police.
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Berkeley, CA
July 2, 2008
This morning, three of the remaining tree sitters occupying
Berkeley, CA
July 2, 2008
This morning, three of the remaining tree sitters occupying the Berkeley Oak Grove announced plans to leave the trees. Two of the sitters holed up in a redwood at the north part of the memorial grove negotiated for a couple hours with campus police before finally climbing down. Both were cited and released from the Berkeley jail. The sitters, who go by the names Olive and Bird, said that they support the efforts to save the grove, but had to come down. They noted that their absence would leave more of the dwindling food supplies for the remaining tree sitters.
The third sitter known as Dumpster Muffin told onsite police that she had some medical problems that required she leave the grove. After lowering herself down some 50 feet to the ground, she was met by police. The officers began to search her and walk her away. The unsteady tree sitter fell to her knees and complained of feeling faint. After several attempts to walk, Muffin was lifted up the stadium steps to await an ambulance.
Earlier this morning, her physician, Dr. Larry Bedard, had been instructed to wait outside the Oak Grove compound and that he would be called if an emergency developed. When he saw Muffin's condition, he requested that she be taken to Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley. Instead, UC Assistant Police Chief Ceyala ordered Muffin to be taken to Highland Hospital in Oakland.
Muffin's doctor also criticized the campus police for failing to administer basic first aid to her when she exhibited signs of fainting. Dr. Bedard raised questions as to why she was not taken to the closer medical facility in Berkeley as she requested.
The university needs to abandon its starve-out policy because of the effect it is having on the safety of the tree sitters. The university is acting in a negligent and reckless manner by only allowing a few "power" bars and a gallon of water per sitter to be lifted into the trees each day. Those meager rations cannot sustain the strength, health and judgment of those still occupying the trees and will inevitably lead to an accident or worse.
Today marks the 579th day of the Berkeley tree-sit at the university campus.
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Berkeley CA
June 25, 2008 6 PM
Two of the remaining tree sitters at Berkeley's Oak Gro
Berkeley CA
June 25, 2008 6 PM
Two of the remaining tree sitters at Berkeley's Oak Grove have voluntarily come down from their tree this evening. Messo, an UC Berkeley student sitter, spoke briefly to the press before descending to the ground. He wanted to make it clear to the public that the choice to end his participation had nothing to do with the university's starve out tactics.
Messo said, "There has been a movement that has defended this grove for over five hundred and eighty days...and that movement remains, that movement is stronger than ever, and that movement will continue to protect this grove until it is saved in perpetuity"
Both tree sitters were met by campus police at the base of the tree, handcuffed and walked out of the grove.
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Berkeley CA
September 14, 2007
Excerpts from Michael Rossman's appearance at the Unive
Berkeley CA
September 14, 2007
Excerpts from Michael Rossman's appearance at the University of California Memorial Oak Grove tree-sit occupation. Thank You Michael.
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Berkeley, CA
Sunday June 22, 2008
For the Record.
A community press conference was he
Berkeley, CA
Sunday June 22, 2008
For the Record.
A community press conference was held today at the Oak Grove tree-sit. Among those addressing the crowd was former Berkeley mayor, Shirley Dean, Councilmember Dona Spring, three medical doctors and two local Native American leaders. All of them expressed concern over the tree sitters' wellbeing because of their lack of access to food and water. Earlier this week, the university abruptly cut off community efforts to re-supply the treetop protesters.
Also speaking to the crowd was local attorney, Carol Strickman, who has helped assist some of the tree sitters in their criminal matters. She expressed a deep concern over the violence initiated by campus police and their arborists towards the tree sitters. Strickman called police actions reckless and that their "behavior there is putting tree sitter's lives at risk." She made it clear that "the major crimes are being committed by the police" against the tree sitters. She concluded by saying, "This is police misconduct of the highest order."
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June 17-19, 2008
For three days UC campus police have waged a stepped-up campaign of vi
June 17-19, 2008
For three days UC campus police have waged a stepped-up campaign of violence against Berkeley's tree sitters and their ground support. Since the beginning of the Oak Grove tree-sit in December 2006, university police and the administration have sought to characterize this non-violent, free speech action as criminal.
UC spokesperson Dan Mogulof continues to publicly state that there is no effort to physically extract tree sitters; yet two young sitters were violently extracted from the grove in the last two days. Though not reported by the corporate media, it has been the view of this reporter and many others gathered at the Oak Grove who bear witness to the excessive force being used by police and the screams heard from the remaining tree sitters.
Please come to the Oak Grove now.
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