Protesters report arrest at timber sale
By Jessica Musicar and Elise Hamner, Staff Writers
Wednesday, July 08, 2009 |
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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