UCB Tree-sitters dig in

This was a beautiful site which I visited. Now it looks like a prison or concentration camp. It disgusts me and makes me sick to my stomache. There are those in this nation who would destroy all beauty, all relationship...they are nazis, fascists, pigs, thugs, egotists, killers, etc....this enclosure is a symbol...of all they did to the american indian nation and all they would do to all free beings.

There has been an awful lot of activist time and energy spent on this, and I wonder how worthwhile it is.
The characterization of this as a "sacred native American burial ground" is just absurd.... they may have found bones here at one time.
What I really wonder is if the tree sitters were dupped by the community, who don't want their lives/views disrupted by new construction.

the pictures speak for themselves. those who are spiritually blind will never see.

I wouldn't say that Berkeley is anti-growth. In fact, living there, I was frequently coming into contact with urban planning/transportation enthusiasts who were strong advocates for infill apartments built with minimal parking near BART, and these people served on various commissions and voiced their opinions at the council. The 'conservative' position in Berkeley and regionally was to block the tall apartments proposed near campus, or say Berkeley is built out, or demand normal parking space requirements, or to act like the lack of parking in downtown Berkeley resulted from a wrongheaded conspiracy of anti-driving liberals who aren't sensitive to mothers who need to drive. Living there changed my viewpoint about growth and planning - towards favoring high density so that fewer people commute from the suburbs.

Do the UC police have a warrant or a court order allowing them to encage protesters in multiple layers of barbed wire fences? This is clearly an extraordinary violation of free speech rights and would be referred to in court as "false imprisonment", meaning there is no due process of law. the police have no more right to imprison someone without due court proceedings than anyone else. have they been given permission to do this by a judge? If not , the protesters have a good crack at winning a phat settlement, or an even bigger judgement if it goes to trial. Cops routinely spend sums like $80,000 on containing protests, and also expect a small percentage of protesters to challenge their more egregious tactics. Cops often pay out tens of thousands to settle cases like this, and such court cases are the only thing that keeps them in check.

As a graduate of UC Davis and a retired environmental consultant, I am saddened that the Regents show so little respect for the Memorial Oak Grove and the tree sitters. I have always been proud to say I am a graduate of the UC system, but now I am wondering why.

Please, can there be some rational dialogue? Are there no other graduates out there who feel as I do?

The protesters in the trees are nothing more than tools of the fat cats on Panoramic Hill who want to get rid of the football stadium.

I, too, am a graduate of UCB. These clowns do NOT represent the university, the alums, or the residents of Berkeley. These oaks are not old growth.

Please come down and go away. You are not needed here.

The "Indian burial ground" nonsense is absurd. Not a word has been mentioned about "remains" in the last 80 years. Why now? And even if it were true, so what? Remains are discovered all over California every year and are removed and relocated.

This whole stunt is ridiculous.

The protestors are a group of people that appear to be aching for purpose in their lives, and here they have found it.

This "cause" works well for them because in Berkeley, where Town-Gown relationships have always been tense and where support of student athletics has always been mixed, they know they will find support. This all feels good to them...so why give it up? What else are they going to do?

Add to that the opportunity for the Hill people to make the whole stadium disappear entirely and it just no longer matters how specious all of the anti-improvement arguments are.

The renewed calls for dialogue and complaints about "false imprisonment" are a joke: The protestors will decide to remain until the University either abandons its plans entirely or is forced to use force.

It won't end prettily, and it will be spun locally as all the evil, faceless institution's fault, which is about as pathetic as any of all this gets.

:::::Harassment of the tree-sitters has increased as well. Intense lights powered by noisy gas-generators are pointed upwards into the trees at the sitters every night, making a good nights rest impossible.

::::::It appears that UC Berkeley has halted plans to forcefully remove the tree-sitters. Instead, UC is hoping a "starve-out" strategy will force them down by isolating them from ground support, depriving them of sleep, warm food, and water.

Indeed, illegal trespassers are legally required to have warm milk and cookies brought to them nightly, lest they be 'harassed' by 'noise' and 'lights.'

Don't want to be caged in fences in trees? Then get out of them and stop acting like monkeys belonging in a zoo.

Darfur, Iraq, Iran, the proposed border fence, government torture... these are a small sample of the many issues for which any activist's time would be better spent.

A grove of 80 year old oaks will be removed to allow for building an athletic training facility for student athletes. The builders have promised to replant trees at a rate of 3-1. There is no horror here; there is no victimization.

No one's free speech is being violated. Anyone who has opposed this project has been free to speak to the media all along, as they are now-- but there is no right of civil disobedience. Those who engage in these acts should know there will be consequences. No one guarantees a successful outcome to such disobedience, lest every child who threatens to hold their breath until they turn blue would be granted their fondest wish.

Those who remain in the trees are guilty of waste -- wasting precious time and resources on an saving an oak grove that, at the end of the day, is insignifigant.

Thanks to these "protesters" the University is forced to waste $80,000 on these fences. That's $80,000 that could be better spent on research into Sudden Oak Death Syndrome treatment, just to name one worthwhile cause the University is currently working on.

These people are not students. Most are not even Berkeley residents. All they are doing is helping to divert the limited media attention away from real problems like W... doing him and his cronies a big fat favor.

So, they are diverting $$, resources, and attention from worthwhile causes. Some activists they are... I'd call them unwitting tools of right wing whackos.

all I have to say to the last few comments is this: If I came tomorrow to bulldoze your home, you probably wouldn't like it one bit. you all talk like cowards, cozy in your houses with hot showers and warm food internet and TV, are you willing to sacrifice some of your personal comfort for a greater good? something that you believe in? This protest goes WAY BEYOND the oak grove, this is about RECLAIMING GREEN SPACES EVERYWHERE, and if all you can do is complain about the courageous, honorable efforts of some dedicated local community members, then you have no place in the movement. I fully support your efforts to Impeach, or to stop war, or to stop torture or, stop environmental destruction, and you should support our efforts as well.

Can't blame UC for trying to end this crimincal incursion on University property. The trespassers have done little more than create a public health hazard, commit violent, property and drug-related crimes and thereby bring further ill repute to the City of Berkeley. And all this in response to the University's attempts to make important and entirely lawful and environmentally sound improvements to its facilities. You'd think with all the monstrous injustices happening in the world, these miscreants would find a better outlet for their activist energies. While this once-great country continues to be sold out to multinationals, continues to prosecute an illegal and murderous war in Iraq (and shortly in Iran, as well) and continues to deny its citizens access to affordable health care and quality public education, these fools keep building treehouses, smoking dope and revealing themselves as human wasteproducts to the media. Quite an accomplishment. Their parents must be very proud.

There is valid evidence that the general area about the oaks, where the tree sitters make a peaceful statement (for they are unarmed), is a funerary place of the Muwekma Ohlone Nation. The intentional destruction of a cemetery is universally considered a hate-crime. There are both archaeologists and people of the Ohlone community who can attest that this area is a funerary place, a cultural treasure of the Muwekma Ohlone Nation. The University of Berkeley and concerned archaeologists who possess the documentation regarding this site must recognize the Muwekma Ohlone Nation as the true "owners" of this land and determine an accurate size of the funerary place so that it stays undisturbed, and eventually returned to the Muwekma Ohlone Nation.
Moreover, the United States has no right to exist. This is the Muwekma Ohlone Nation. No other nationality is in any position to claim this part of the world. Anyone who refuses to accept this is, perhaps, a racist. The reason why so many people in the world hate the United States government is because it holds the responsibility of violently preventing hundreds of nationalities from having independence. I am proud to be anti-American.
The United States govenrment deserves to be abolished. It has no right to exist. How many more Indian Treaties shall the United States government violate? I may not see Ohlone independence in my lifetime, yet is asking for just a few small pieces of land, which
hold the ruins of what little is left of their cultural treasures, too much to ask?
Honor the tree sitters. Recognize the Muwekma Ohlone Nation, for we are living in THEIR country. What country are you from? Does it have independence? Do the people their still speak the traditional language? Is the country under military occupation by another country? Do the cemeteries have protection? Do the country's ancient monuments receive respect and wonder? Please, do not look at the funerary places and ancient monuments of other peoples, especially the people whose homeland is right here in the Bay Area, as obstacles to your goals. The results of you goal
may indeed be a hate-crime. I am not a person of Ohlone background, for these are my views. I do not represent any organization. I am Swiss-Italian and English. Both these nationalities have basically independent homelands. Why may not the Muwekma Ohlone have independence? Thus, I ask again: is it too much to save a few small pieces of land which bear the funerary places and ancient monuments of the people whose homeland this is?
That is what I see which the tree sitters are doing. They are taking a nonviolent stand against American terrorism.
Please, do not take the intentional, planned, and government approved destruction of Native Peoples' funerary places and ancient monuments as "no big deal," "part of 'progress,'" or "it's good for jobs and the economy" attitude. Those types of sentiments are the songs of Manifest Destiny, Hitler, Bush, and, I hope not, you, too.
When these funerary places and ancient monuments are destroyed, a holocaust of culture has occurred. As I am saying, if you will not support Ohlone independence, would you at least preserve what little is left of these cultural treasures. It is only a few acres of land amongst a whole homeland, stolen.
Also, not many people cared about the concerns of Native People until the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960s and 1970s.
Native Peoples who made a stand against the destruction of their burials prior to these times were not given much audience
nor respect. Many people in the Bay Area have the option to visit their own ancestors' homelands and experience the ancient monuments and funerary places in a preserved and respected condition, in those homelands, far from here.
Again, I see the intention of tree sitters is to preserve the funerary places and ancient monuments of the Muwekma Ohlone Nation from additional and intentional destruction. Honor the tree sitters.
Perry Matlock

Chop down the non-endangered landscaping!

That would imply that UC is attempting to confine the "protestors" inside the Grove. On the contrary, I'm sure they would be quite thrilled if they all left!

Does anyone think before speaking anymore?

...must be rough knowing that you threw away all your principles to be used by the City of Berkeley and the Panoramic Hill Association. I'm sure a lot of the protestors honestly care about the environment, but are unaware that they are being used to further the ulterior motives of others. The CoB and PHA don't give two-sevenths of a flying fig about the "Oak Grove".

If I was to go to Berkely right now and try to feed the tree sitters, I will be arrested??? OHH that is really humane uh? What kind of bull is that? UC Berkely is going to starve these people out? All for a Stadium? A big ugly Stadium vs. beautiful Oak trees. What is wrong with this picture? People, wake up.

Hang in there Zak, my brother... a-ho

To whom it may concern:

In regards to the University of California’s plan for the Student Athletic High Performance Center and the City of Berkeley’s opposition to such plan.

I DON’T GET IT!

Let’s get to the specifics! The stadium complex is an aging and dangerous structure which needs immediate attention to make working and watching there safer. The nearly one year delay caused by your frivolous injuction has put thousands in danger. As an entity whose mission is to ensure the safety of its’ constituents, the City of Berkeley is failing.

In regards to the impact on the local area around the stadium, game traffic and congestion in the area should be lessened! The capacity of the stadium will be reduced, so there will be less people and cars in the area. In addition, the improved parking will REDUCE congestion, by having less people doing circles around southeast Berkeley looking for parking spaces.

In regards to the earthquake safety of the structure….This has been exhaustively studied by the University, Geometrix and the USGS as well as others. They have all reached the same conclusion is that the SAHPC does NOT fall on any active faults and the engineering of the building is safe. The fact that some of the attorneys involved in the case (Mr. S. Volker) have advocated in not allowing some of the expert testimony in the case, just speaks to the real agenda of the opposition: muddy the facts, and block the improvements at all costs.

In regards to the Panoramic Hill association. In my mind they are the most disturbing group in the opposition to this plan. This group of very affluent land owners, bought in the this area well after the stadium was built. For years, events have been held at the venerable Memorial Stadium. Not only are these rich cats NIMBY’s but they are arrogant, self serving aristocrats. They are less concerned about student safety, then their own view lines (which are barely impacted by this project) They wish for failure of athletic programs at Cal, so as to decrease traffic in their neighborhood. They finance fringe groups who make illegal campouts in Oak Trees. They financed the lawsuits in the “Save Tightwad Hill” clan. (By the way, is that the most insane group of all? They want to protect their rights to freeload on Cal sporting events!) Under the guise of the Alquist-Priolo act, they say they are fighting for safety, when their real goal is to block this project, the stadium renovation and destroy Cal Athletics! This group has recently advocated to move the Cal Sports complex to the Old Golden Gate Fields Site…perhaps they should move their Johnny-come-lately homes to that site in ALBANY!

In regards to the Save the Oaks group. This is the prototype misinformed and manipulated pseudo-environmental group. Nearly all of these trees are basic landscaping trees, planted by Cal to beautify the stadium. There are MILLIONS of coastal oaks in California, and in addition, any loss of greenery will be mitigated by the planting of more trees, soon resulting in a greater biomass, with all of the beneficial effects. The leaders of the Save the Oaks groups, are homeless, disgruntled, many of whom have legitimate criminal records. Mr Running Wolf himself is an absolute farce, who makes a mockery of legitimate Native American causes. He grasps at straws calling the oaks historic, and an ancient burial ground, while at the same time, his group is actually destroying the trees by building on them and doing illegal trimming of the trees which will cause permanent damage to the architecture of the trees!

Berkeley City Council…get a hold of yourselves! This project won’t cost the City a nickel, will increase revenues to local southeast Berkeley retail establishments, enhance safety for your constituents, get more biomass planted, and improve parking and traffic around that area. You are wasting thousands of dollars of your paltry budget on the wrong side of an issue that you have no chance of legitimate victory. Instead of trying to promote the City of Berkeley through improvements in the University, you are furthering the stereotype many have of the city, as being obstructionist and unreasonable! Kowtowing to the elitists on the hill is a glaring example of the irony in this case. The safety and prosperity of your constituents (which includes students, athletes and alumni) is your mission. Fulfill it!

Hi,

If you've ever spent any time, say, biking or walking around downtown Berkeley, you might have noticed that the air quality is terrible. We need every tree available, plus more, to help clean the air.

I've read that immature trees don't help to take up carbon for many years, which means, again, that we need those mature trees that are at the Grove.

I am worried for the health of the tree's. Reports are circulating that the tree sitters have used nails to hold up thier camp in the tree's. If so please ask them to stop as this only harms the things they are trying to save.

I find it pitiful that this protest, now deemed illegal after a full and fair hearing before a judge, is continuing, causing damage to the trees and the cause of the tree sitters and accomplishing nothing of benefit to anyone. The continuing protest is worthless.

Give me a break. Of all the problems there are in Berkeley, the Bay Area, California, the United States, the world, people have spent the past year protesting the removal of landscaping. You are smart, committed individuals. Please use this energy for something that actually matters.

After reading the comments thread, it is apparent that certain individuals will attempt to use divisive tactics to drive treesitters away from the oak groave at UCB. Inciting "more important" issues and claiming that the oaks are a distraction is one tactic of misleading concerned activists away from this cause. People have been protesting the war in Iraq, genocide in Darfur, Palestinian occupation and many other worthy causes for years, yet these problems continue overseas. Nor is any one of these issues "more important" than another, should we choose between the life of an Iraqi, a Darfurian or a Palestinian when deciding what activist topic we will devote our time and energy on??

Getting to the source of all these problems (consumerist capitalism, resource dependency) may be somewhere in our "home" nation of the U.S., for example, where are all the resources used for this brand new sports stadium come from? Maybe by not building so many new expensive buildings we can lessen the impact of mining, petroleum extraction and other forms of resource depletion that leads us into military conflicts in Iraq, Darfur, etc..

The tragic story of genocide against indigenous North American "Indians" carried out by post-Columbus Euro-american colonialists need not be continued into this next century. The descendents of the earlier immigrants and recent immigrants to North America can set aside their cultural pride for their respective homelands for a few moments and recognize the wealth of wisdom found in indigenous North American "Indian" cultures, ecological wisdom and other Earth-centered lifestyles as found in these oak groves. The Miwok, Wintu and many other indigenous peoples of CA all share the common ground of using acorn flour as a major nutritional component of their diet, alongside the spiritual and cultural aspects of tending the oaks and harvesting the acorns, singing and dancing all the while..

Oak groves throughout CA are experiencing unprecedented losses, so why not protect the remaining oaks, especially those located at institutions of higher learning? There is a great deal that can be learned from a healthy grove of oaks with easy access to campus and science labs. Since oaks are also interconnected with indigenous North American tribal groups, why not reverse the pattern of genocide by leaving these existing oaks in their place??

Certain indigenous cultures are documented as having tended oak groves over the last few centuries, living closely with the trees. In addition, it is well known that the replacement of traditional indigenous food sources (acorn, salmon, bison, etc..) by nutritionally poor commodities (refined flour, cattle, etc..) from the U.S. government has increased the risk for diabetes and other illnesses among indigenous peoples. Destroying these sites in the name of "progress" only indicates that in the U.S., progress and the genocide of indigenous North Americans are closely linked..

Reclaiming the land for green spaces and community forest gardens is a better alternative than another sports stadium that will be too expensive for the local residents to afford attending anyway. Why not scrap the stadium plan and instead create smaller parks, basketball courts, soccer fields and such throughout the neighborhoods that provide access to everyone, regardless of income or social status??

Leave the oaks standing! Thanks again to the treesitters and all their ground support!!

Every tree is sacred. Trees are living things and these are some of the last of the old live oaks that surrounded the Strawberry Creek watershed from long ago. The tree-sitters are valiant activists who are following their hearts' direction. Their sympathies are with their living brothers, the trees. I wish I had half the guts that they have to make their sacrifice on behalf of these wonderful trees. I hope that the UCB authorities will practice compassion with the tree-sitters and allow them to stay and most importantly SAVE THE OAKS!