When campus police were first alerted to the tree-climb protest outside Wheeler Hall, they drew an immediate connection with the oak grove protest near Memorial Stadium.

Yet, despite the huge tree banner filled with grievances against the university, those occupying the tree outside Wheeler Hall stressed that they had no direct connection to the tree-sitters east of campus.

Still, tree protesters from both areas shared one ideal in common — that of free speech.

Wheeler Hall tree protesters called for the democratization of the UC Regents and condemned the BP Deal. But they said, in the end, it was an issue of free speech and student activism.

“We don’t want a UC Berkeley where free speech is history,” said one of the tree occupants who identifies himself as Fresh. “What this university is afraid of is a new Free Speech Movement.”

Fresh stressed that if a campus like UC Berkeley did not start a student revolution, no campuses would.

But, UCPD Assistant Chief Mitch Celaya said such behavior on campus property still constitutes trespassing, which can lead to a misdemeanor.

Those charged with a misdemeanor can be fined or go to county jail, Celaya said.

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