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3 Forest Activists have been charged with felonies at anti GE trees lockdown!

by none
Support is needed for three forest activists that locked down at the UC Davis "Life Sciences" building on June 24 to highlight the dangers of GE Trees.
Sacramento Anti-GE protests:
3 Forest Activists have been charged with felonies and need your help after a Lockdown at UC-Davis Life Sciences building to bring attention to Genetically Engineered Tree Research!!

During the Sacramento Ministerial protests on June 24, 2003, three comrades locked down inside the Life Sciences Building on the University of California-Davis campus where research on genetically engineered trees takes place. They have been taken into custody and are being charged with Felony Conspiracy, Failure to Disperse, Resisting Arrest, and Disturbing the Peace. All 3 have refused to give their names and are being held on $10,000 bail each at the Yolo County Jail.

They are desperately in need of financial assistance and moral support.

For more information, please contact: Cascadia Forest Defenders 541-684-8977; forestdefenders [at] tao.ca

Donation checks/money orders can be made out to: Cascadia Forest Defenders; earmarked for Sacramento Legal Defense (please be sure to specify this!!)

and mailed to Cascadia Forest Defenders; PO Box 11122; Eugene, OR 97440

The details of their arrest are as follows:

A large group of forest activists gathered in Sacramento to protest the Sacramento Ministerial on Biotechnology and Agriculture to focus their attention on the Genetically Engineered Tree research at University of California-Davis – the belly of the beast on genetic engineering research.

At about 2:30pm on Tuesday June 24th the forest activists stormed the Life Sciences building at UC Davis where research is conducted on GE trees, in order to bring attention to the Genetically Engineered tree programs taking place at the campus.

The lockdown occurred in the 4-story stairwell of the atrium where a large 48’ long sculpture of DNA hangs through the middle of the stairwell. Two activists repelled with climbing equipment from the top of the stairwell and hung next to the sculpture, then u-locked themselves to each other and attached themselves to the sculpture. Another activist u-locked himself to the railing next to them.

Twenty supporters were inside the building holding banners, offering words of encouragement, and monitoring police activity, as well as reading the demands (below) several times.

About 50 others rallied outside in tree costumes and waving banners calling for an end to corporate dominance over ecosystems.

After about an hour the police gave an order to disperse, threatened to use chemical/less-lethal weapons, then pulled their sticks out and began pushing everyone out. At least one activist was assaulted by the police.

A medic and a representative from the National Lawyers Guild were allowed to remain in the building, but then a screen was put up so that they couldn't see what was happening anyway. We were told by the medic via cell phone that the lock-down activists asked if they would be allowed to disperse without charges if they agreed to come down on their own. The cops denied this request.

Outside, riot cops blocked access to the building and activists rallied on the steps.

After about an hour a scout at the back door reported that the person u-locked to the railing was being brought out. Everyone ran around back and gave cheers of support to him as the cop car pulled away.

After another 20 minutes or so, the other 2 were cut down by the fire department and brought out back to a cop van. They were also given cheers of support.

All 3 were brought to Yolo County Jail and have been charged with Conspiracy (felony), failure to disperse, resisting arrest, and disturbing the peace.

The names they are using are Pacific Yew, Port Orford Cedar, and Douglas Fir - and they need your support!

The five demands read to professors, administrators and students inside the building were:
1. End to research on GE trees at UC Davis.
2. Full disclosure and acknowledgment of hazards of GE trees.
3. End of Corporate funded Bio-research at University of California
4. Cancel plans to build new Bio-Weapons lab at UC Davis.
5. Full public discussion and full public involvement in all discussions about potentially hazardous research.

For a semi-decent corporate news article on the lock-downs go to
http://www.davisenterprise.com/display/inn_news/189NEW0.TXT


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A Conservative
Wed, Aug 27, 2003 8:18AM
A liberal
Tue, Aug 26, 2003 4:49PM
gandor
Tue, Aug 26, 2003 1:37PM
OB-1
Tue, Aug 26, 2003 1:05PM
no it's not
Tue, Aug 26, 2003 8:16AM
Sparrow
Tue, Aug 26, 2003 4:09AM
just wondering
Mon, Aug 25, 2003 9:38PM
Mr. T
Mon, Aug 25, 2003 8:30PM
Auntie N.
Sun, Aug 24, 2003 8:43PM
It's part of mother nature
Sun, Aug 24, 2003 8:17PM
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