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| Grandmothers to Risk Arrest to Send Water and Food to Tree-Sitters; Shirley Dean, City Councilmember Dona Spring Press Conference June 22, 2008 For Immediate Release - Contact: Matthew Taylor, Free Speech Free Trees Student Coalition: 510-684-7233 Dona Spring, and Oak Grove Tree-Sit Ground Support Grandmother action and Press Conference at Oak Grove: Sunday Former Berkeley Mayor Shirley Dean, City Councilmember Dona Spring Call for UC to Stop Denying Water and Food to Protesters Berkeley, CA- On Sunday, June 22, from 1 - 2:30pm, the Berkeley Grandmothers for the Oaks intend to risk arrest in order to send water and food to the Memorial Oak Grove tree- sitters. UC Police are denying water and food to the protesters in an attempt to dehydrate them and starve them out of the trees. The Grandmothers group and other citizens from around the Bay Area believe that this is inhumane treatment under any circumstances and are willing to risk arrest to bring attention to the situation. At 1pm, former Berkeley Mayor Shirley Dean, attorney Carol Strickman (representing the tree-sit protesters), and current Berkeley City Council Member Dona Spring will hold a press conference to condemn UC's treatment of the protesters. At 2pm, the Berkeley Grandmothers will hold a "Sacred Food and Water Ceremony," and attempt to resupply the tree-sitters despite UC Police threats to arrest anyone who does so. "It is a violation of human rights to deny water and food to the tree-sitters or any human being. The tree-sitters are there on behalf of the whole community, not only those in Berkeley but those who care about saving our environment and restoring democracy," said Spring. According to the tree-sitters, "Several of us have been attacked and slashed by UC's pole saws. We are injured and ill, and we are running out of food and water." Spring also plans to challenge UC's closure of Piedmont Avenue. "The University of California is acting illegally again. The city of Berkeley, who has jurisdiction over the street, wrote a letter to the University saying they could not get a permit to block off the street." UC police arrested at least six tree-sit ground supporters in the past two days, including long- time ground support leader Ayr, and have removed two tree-sitters from the trees. For four days, Tuesday through Friday this week, contract climbers with giant cranes and other heavy equipment have been in the grove, approaching and bumping occupied trees, cutting at least one sitter with pole saws, and, according to other sitters, delivering verbal threats to their safety and lives. Concerns are mounting because of the heat, the duration of the protest, and the extreme stress the sitters have been under due to the pandemonium the last several days. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS for Sunday June 22: 1pm: Press conference Piedmont Avenue In front of Oak Grove (Near Haas School of Business) 2pm: Water & Food Delivery to Tree-Sitters - Grandmothers to Risk Arrest Also available for interviews on Sunday from Noon to 4pm: Tree-sitter "Millipede," who was forcibly removed from the trees this week. She will be available for press interviews at the corner of Piedmont & Durant Avenues, just two blocks south of the Oak Grove. ### ::><::><::><::><::><::><::><:: Karen Pickett Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters 2530 San Pablo Ave. Berkeley, California 94702 510-548-3113 bach@HeadwatersPreserve.org  << Back to Press Release Archive | Latest Press Release | Newsroom | | 
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