Campus Cuts Branches at Oak Grove
By Will Kane August 21, 2008 | 9:45 am
Posted in: Tree-Sit
In a move to further isolate the four remaining tree sitters in the grove near Memorial Stadium, this morning arborists contracted by the campus began removing certain branches that they say the the sitters used to travel from tree to tree.
Dan Mogulof, the campus’ executive director of public affairs, said the campus has no plans to extract any tree sitters at this time. Supporters of the tree-sit said the arborists, who are being lowered into the trees from cranes, did remove some of the gear and platforms the tree sitters use.
When the campus attempted to remove some tree sitters earlier in the summer, a number were able to evade capture by moving to other trees in the grove. By removing the branches, Mogulof said the campus hopes to isolate the four tree sitters, who are all currently in a single redwood, and prevent them from leaving that tree if the campus makes another attempt to remove them.
“(We will) continue to make things difficult, but not dangerous, for the tree sitters,” Mogulof said.
However, UC Berkeley senior Marcella Sadlowski, a supporter of the tree-sit, said she felt the lives of the tree sitters were in danger.
“Someone will be hurt because of UCPD’s arrogance,” she said. “The bigger picture here is that people’s lives are on the line.”
Tags: Memorial Stadium, Tree-Sit, UCPD
“Someone will be hurt because of UCPD’s arrogance,” she said. “The bigger picture here is that people’s lives are on the line.”
I find this ironic in that those in the trees are adults (supposedly). If anything, those treesitters are a harm to themselves. The only way they will truely be safe is if/when they get down, and if they CHOOSE to do it willingly.
These people aren’t children.
Also, removing branches does make sense in an argument of safety. if the treesitters have no where to move, they are less likely to fall from some random branch while trying to cross it.
apparently, logic is an alien practice to this Marcell aSadlowski.
Comment by dfg — August 21, 2008 @ 8:17 pm
I’m so sick of this nonsense about the trees. They were never special or sacred. The whole thing started because the NIMBYs near the stadium managed to convince some fools that this was a cause worth fighting for. The result has been wasted money for the university, the city looks like a laughing stock, and the protesters efforts have been diverted form other causes that might have been worthwhile. I really hope the university sues the people who caused this mess an garnishes their wages for the rest of their lives. With state budget cuts there are enough problems to worry about without frivolous foolishness from people with nothing better to do than sit in a tree for two years.
Comment by bobby t. — September 8, 2008 @ 10:33 pm