Protesters report arrest at timber sale

By Jessica Musicar and Elise Hamner, Staff Writers
Wednesday, July 08, 2009 | 13 comment(s)

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Police officers have converged on the site of an anti-logging protest in the Elliott State Forest near Reedsport. Two callers reported this morning that police began arresting activists at the 79-acre timber sale, but Oregon State Police officials have not confirmed that.

“We are being rolled by about 25 law enforcement officers,” protest volunteer Jasmine Zimmer-Stucky said by cell phone.

Up to 60 Earth First! and Cascadia Rising Tide protesters were at the site Monday. They blocked the road and turned away loggers from the Roseburg-based Scott Timber Co. who already had felled 10 percent of the sale.

People in Reedsport reported seeing police cars from several agencies amassing at the Douglas County Annex early this morning.

By 9:40 a.m., officers were reported to be arriving at the site. OSP detoured reporters away from the protest area, blocking the 7000 Road near the top.

Francis Eatherington, conservation coordinator for the Umpqua Watersheds, said she had a report from protesters that at least one person was arrested this morning, and that police arrived with a paddy wagon and bulldozer.

OSP Lt. Steve Smartt said OSP and Douglas County sheriff’s deputies advised protesters on Monday that they were acting unlawfully. At about 5 p.m. Tuesday, he and Douglas sheriff’s Lt. Chris Merrifield delivered a letter from the Department of State Lands to a protest spokesman stating they were involved in unlawful activity and needed to cease and desist. He said they were told they would have sufficient time to clean up the site and move on. Additionally, they were given a contact number for the Department of Forestry for an alternate site to protest.

Those who refuse to leave the site will be arrested on charges including but not limited to, criminal mischief, criminal trespassing and interfering with an agricultural operation.

“It depends on their actions whether any other charges are going to be brought,” Smartt said.

ODF spokesman Dan Postrel said one protester did call for information, requesting a site to legally camp. The message, left on District Forester Jim Young’s voicemail, was not retrieved until this morning. Postrel said personnel told protesters they could camp on the West Fork of the Millicoma River between Joe’s Creek and Cougar Creek, which is about a 5- to 6-mile drive.

Regarding an alternate protest site, Postrel said one has not yet been provided.

“When they called they didn’t ask for that,” Postrel said. “One would be if they’re interested in that.”

The public affairs director said several possible sites have been identified in the meantime, but was unsure if one was ready to go.

“We certainly would be amenable to finding a place where they can express their views that is safe,” Postrel said.

(Staff Writer Alex Powers contributed to this story.)
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amadeus wrote on Jul 14, 2009 9:15 AM:

wrong wrong worng wrong, wrong wrong wrong wrong....wrong....wrong....
I fully support my syelf, and my children with no help from my father. If I had the spare time (not being retired and and all) I would have loved to waste my time protesting. You seem to like to stereotyplr anyone who doesn't want to destryroy the forests. MY president is just trying to fix the mess Your president left for my kids.

retired wrote on Jul 12, 2009 9:06 PM:

amadeus-just a note-my last comments were not allowed through-the blog police must not have appreciated what I had to say. No profanity-just facts.Isn't it great to know the newspaper censors what is written. Wonder what their qualifications are? Maybe they're the Nazis you were talking about.

Retired wrote on Jul 12, 2009 2:20 PM:

amadeus-I bet your dad is still paying your bills, too....or are you one of those who were up there protesting? if not, why were't you? Just a sideline watcher? As for me-I say what I think, loud and clear and still say YOUR president is a going to borrow us to death and sink our kids and grandkids-it sounds like you have no responsibilities other than yourself..

amadeus wrote on Jul 10, 2009 2:22 PM:

sorry Grammy, I'd prefer a beautiful forest of foliage, fauna, cool streams, diverse small and large life forms, clean smells, fresh moss and earth, reserves of oxygen , and oh yes , good old trees, to a logger any and everyday. My dad logs, god love him, but he does it with total respect to the ecosystem and only carefully selects trees that, once taken, will minimize his impact on the forest and in fact benefit the other remaining trees waterways and lifeforms that are all dependent on each other. There are smarter ways than treating the forest like a corn field.

grammy9 wrote on Jul 9, 2009 10:32 AM:

Hug a logger - You'll never go back to trees!!

amadeus wrote on Jul 9, 2009 9:28 AM:

talk about whining when someone has a difering opinion. bush is the one that left us in such a financial hole, not obama. I see i pushed some buttons. me thinks thou protests too much. ME? Total Oregonian, born and raised. Just hate clear cutting, that's all. My father manages a huge timber ranch and ONLY select cuts. and the Nazi's were just doing their job, so we shouldn't have interferred either, RIGHT? (hee hee, can't wait to see the fire and brimstone as y'all attack me this time)

Coquillian wrote on Jul 8, 2009 9:55 PM:

Amadeus, what do you have against Coquille? Are you judging that all who write something you disagree with live here? No, not all, but I do. And we are not all retired. Some of us are still working stiffs who have stood up for others rights for YEARS, probably before you were born. Quit whining. If you want to protest, fine. DO it lawfully. Don't interrupt a legal business.

retired wrote on Jul 8, 2009 4:11 PM:

amadeus-from an "old fart" to you..walk in my footsteps you whining cretin.Your precious President will put our county in debt and change our lifestyle permanently. He is a socialist and is looking for a new world order to make him the reining king. Pull your head out and look at reality. By the way, I'm a Democrat....not a GOP member...If you don't like Oregon-go somewhere else. I bet you're originally from California anyway...

oregon native wrote on Jul 8, 2009 4:00 PM:

Amadeus How ignorant you must be. A lot of the "Old farts", black and white, probably helped defend your rights in someway or another. Many old farts have lost loved ones defending the rights that you have. How would you like an organization like these earth first people protesting something you do to make money? There is nothing wrong with a legal protest, but to stop people from working, who are legally working, is just wrong.

amadeus wrote on Jul 8, 2009 2:28 PM:

you old farts probably never stood up and protested for something you believed in. that's why when you were in your hayday, blacks couldn't vote, women were household slaves and you jerks clearcut all the beautiful wilderness to by your beer. Thank goodness your precious GOP is in its deaththroes, Bush the Stupid is gone and we now have an INTELLIGENT president , who is black, to YOUR DISMAY!!! stay retired, and stay in coquille...

everyman wrote on Jul 8, 2009 2:20 PM:

Well, kiki, I don't know...but since when have we started preventing a business from pursuing it's goals based on who we think will buy thier product?

Are you really saying that whether a business starts up or not should be based on if the masses think it will succeed...if that were the case, we wouldn't have any Starbucks (Nobody will EVER pay $3 for a cup of coffee) or PC's, or Airplanes, or...you get my point.

Who cares who will buy the natural gas. If they fail, they fail...if they succeed, they succeed.

I...AM...EVERYMAN!

COQUILLIAN wrote on Jul 8, 2009 1:19 PM:

How coe the protesters wear rags over their faces? If what you are doing is lawful, why are you ashamed to show your face? Afraid that someone might retailate? Afraid they might use some of your tactics?

retired wrote on Jul 8, 2009 12:52 PM:

glad to hear the protesters are being arrested. I understand they smell as bad as they look. Maybe a bath could be offered. Did you know these folks are paid $10.00 an hour for their protest?Won't get a job, so this is easy money. what a joke.


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