A protester in front of Wheeler Hall left his tree and moved to another nearby tree today, with police saying he could be arrested if he comes down from his new post.

The protester, who identified himself as Fresh, said he was planning on leaving the area, but decided against it.

"I was planning on leaving, but the police officer chased me," he said. "So I climbed up the tree."

UCPD said they had offered the protester the option of leaving his former location at the older tree without arrest yesterday, but that he did not accept.

"The condition was he'd bring all of his things down and identify himself," said UCPD Lt. Rick Dillard. "His sticking point was he didn't want to be identified. He wanted to stay in the tree."

Dillard added that if Fresh comes down from his current location, he will be arrested for trespassing.

The protest began early Tuesday morning, when two protesters climbed into the tree outside of Wheeler Hall and hung a banner calling for the democratization of the UC Board of Regents.

About 15 people gathered around Fresh's new location today, with some momentarily climbing into a tree next to Wheeler Hall to show their support.

"The argument against the (Memorial Stadium) tree-sit is that they're stopping construction," said Nate Pitts, who identified himself as a member of the ground crew at the Memorial Stadium tree-sit. "But he's not impeding anything. He's just in a tree and the cops deem it illegal."

Fresh said he does not know when he will come down from his new location.

"When students start realizing the negative impact our university is having on the world and begin changing that, then I would be comfortable (to come down,) he said.

Tags: WHEELER HALL, TREES