by Moss
6/22/08
The defiant tree-sitters at UC Berkeley seem to be able to resupply themselves after a five day crackdown by UCB Police and Security forces. I wonder how long they will last now that the press has been covering this so closely. Perhaps another couple of days? Here are a few paragraphs taken from an article in today's SF Chronicle. What happened to Dumpster Muffin? Read the whole article here.
Charles Burress, Chronicle Staff Writer
At midday Saturday, a half-dozen members of the tree-sitters' "ground support" were keeping vigil on a hot patch of grass across from the grove.
"This is the fifth day we've been under siege," said one woman who identified herself only as Citizen.
She said that the usual "resupply" process - bringing food and drink to the tree activists - would take place today at 2 p.m. "They are dehydrated and hungry," the woman said.
On Friday afternoon, seven or eight tree-sitters remained in place as the work crews took a break and an uneasy truce settled on the scene amid stultifying heat.
"There are certainly those who've made it clear that if they have to starve and die in the trees, they'll starve and die," said Nathan Pitts.
"Their fervor and desire to continue with this is being diminished," Mogulof said. The university wants to make it "difficult if not impossible" for the tree-sitters to remain, he said.
"We've now entered the end-game phase of this," he said. "If they're hungry, if they're thirsty, if they want a shower, if they want a warm bed or a cool bed to sleep in, they're welcome to come down."
UC Police Chief Victoria Harrison went up on a cherry-picker platform amid the trees Thursday afternoon to talk to the protesters.
"She told them she was concerned for their safety," Mogulof said. "She made it clear we would not allow resupply of food and water. She urged them to come down."
Harrison said the tree-sitters appeared to have about 30 gallons of water left, Mogulof said.
Anderson, a.k.a. Crickett, said the protesters are able to hold out. "They're in a very large tree with lots of food and water," he said. "They're prepared to stay a long time."
