UC Berkeley Starts To Remove Tree-Sits at Memorial Oak Grove
Submitted by pirate on Wed, 06/18/2008 - 20:24.
Indybay.org June 16, 2008
On Tuesday, June 17th, at least five hired contract workers arrived at 6:30am and climbed into the branches of the oak trees to take down tree-sit platforms. On Tuesday, June 17th, at least five hired contract workers arrived at 6:30am and climbed into the branches of the oak trees to take down tree-sit platforms. Around 5pm, one woman tree-sitter was taken down from a tree and arrested. Police cordoned off the area with barricades as oaks supporters converged on the site. Around 70 people attended an 8pm candlelight vigil. 
Photos | Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 
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On Wednesday, June 18th, a judge will decide whether or not UC Berkeley can go ahead with its construction plans, which include the destruction of the Memorial Oak Grove that is located on campus. If the University can proceed, then work, arrests of tree sitters, and cutting of trees may begin immediately. The judge's decision will be announced some time between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm on Wednesday, and supporters of the tree sit will gather as early as 9am for direct action, if necessary. Save the Oaks organizers acknowledge that the police may not move in on Wednesday, so if the decision is against the Grove, support may be needed the next day, as well.
Memorial Oak Grove is located in the 2000 block of Piedmont Ave in Berkeley, one block north of Bancroft Way. It lies adjacent to Memorial Stadium where Cal's football team plays its games and reportedly stands atop a portion of a Native burial ground for the Ohlone tribe. Some of the trees in the Grove were planted in 1923 as part of a World War I Veterans Memorial. The current stadium, which is adjacent to the Oak Grove, stands atop the Hayward earthquake fault. The treesitters have an unlikely ally in Panoramic Hill residents, who reportedly do not look forward to the removal of the trees from their viewscape.
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