Police Confiscate Supplies From Oak Grove Protesters

UC police seized equipment and supplies at the oak grove protest site adjacent to Memorial Stadium early Wednesday morning in what the protesters called a raid.

Protesters, who object to UC Berkeley plans to build a student athletic center at the site of the grove, said officers took everything that was not secured, including fact sheets, tables, banners and personal items like sandals, a bicycle and toothpaste.

This is at least the 10th time UCPD has “raided” the grove and taken equipment from the area, said Zachary RunningWolf, an activist who witnessed the incident.

“It has been a constant, almost weekly, if not nightly, battle against UCPD,” he said.

Police are monitoring the area and doing daily cleanups, said UCPD Assistant Chief Mitch Celaya. Wednesday’s incident was a part of those periodic checks.

Today marks the 126th day of the tree-sit. RunningWolf said 11 sitters are currently residing at the grove.

Following the police action Wednesday, supporters dropped off five bags of food from Whole Foods Market, the tree-sitters said.

Celaya said officers typically warn protesters if they are violating the law and ask for compliance before they take action.

When police confiscate lodging materials like tables, tents or tarps, they are not released back to their owners, but any personal property seized can be retrieved by the owners, Celaya said.

“We have a responsibility and obligation to maintain our university area no different than we would maintain property on the main campus,” Celaya said. “We don’t allow lodging and we aren’t treating this any differently than any other area of campus.”

UC police have said the protest constitutes a public safety risk and that monitoring it creates a drain on police resources.

Since a court injunction in January, UC Berkeley is prohibited from altering the physical landscape pending the resolution of three lawsuits challenging the proposed development.

RunningWolf said donations for the protesters decreased following the injunction, but there still are a number of dedicated supporters.

“We need more student support,” said a tree-sitter who called himself Chewing Gum. “If students are in the trees the university can’t do anything about it. The students pay the bills.”

RunningWolf, who is facing felony charges stemming from an incident in which police said he made threatening statements, said the protest will continue until the oaks are protected permanently.

“We are not leaving here until these trees are saved,” he said. “There is no negotiation. They are not going to cut these trees. Period.”

RunningWolf was offered a reduced misdemeanor charge yesterday at Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse in Oakland yesterday, but refused, instead demanding a full dismissal of charges.

The former Berkeley mayoral candidate plans to file a lawsuit against the university, claiming he is a victim of false arrest and defamation of character.

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