Tree sitters Arrested, More Trees Cut... Struggle Continues!

From ScrapScripps.info:
     After arresting two tree sitters along Donald Ross Road, Palm Beach Gardens Police admitted to cutting multiple trees in the Briger forest, including trees in areas designated as a “preserve” in development permit, as well as an area of public land, owned by the residents of Palm Beach County.
     The arrests have resulted in news stories across the country, and an upsurge of public support. We lament the loss of these trees—among the last remaining mature native Slash Pine in all of south Florida’s eastern corridor—and we commit to making this the rallying call to end the Scripps Biotech plan before any more endangered species habitat is lost to the forces of corruption and greed.

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This news clip from earlier in the week looks like it came out in response to a press release by the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department:

Below is my response to the above story:
Following the arrests, we learned that, on both occasions, it was the Police themselves who cut the trees, left a mess of a smashed tree sit and stole any gear of value that was suspended from them. They were bragging about cutting the trees to the people they arrested. You can now see the photos of one of the sites that was cut (which were also shown in last night's Ch 12 news.) That was the "mess". I guess trees standing upright is a mess to them. [The photos can also be seen at www.scrapscripps.info in the "photo gallery"]

Some questions we are left asking: Are public law enforcement dollars being used to cut these trees for a private development? Did the private landowner or the County hire the Gardens police to cut the trees? It was clear that there was no need to cut trees to get a tree sit down. It was done out of spite.

We hope to uncover answers to some of these questions.

Stay tuned for the next steps in the resistance effort to stop Scripps
from destroying Briger forest...

Briger Forest Tree sit nears one month in resistance to Scripps Biotech

Monday, March 14th, 2011, marks one month of occupying the canopy of Briger forest in opposition to the Scripps Phase II expansion plans. JOIN US! We will be meeting to rally at the corner of Donald Ross and Parkside, 4pm-6pm, across from FAU and Abacoa.

Please being signs and banners, drums and noise-makers, friends and families. We will also be collecting donations of non-perishable food and financial support to continue sustaining the tree sit.
[Click here for details on donating]

For more background on the campaign, check out the new FAQ section of the ScrapScripps.info website.