More than 100 protesters gathered this afternoon outside the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) District 1 office in Eureka to voice their opposition to the Richardson Grove Improvement Project. The project, which has already received environmental approvals, would remove several trees along Hwy. 101 through Richardson Grove State Park to facilitate a road realignment. The adjustments to the road’s curves would allow longer, industry-standard cargo trucks to pass through the ancient grove.
(Read the Journal’s coverage of the controversial project here and here.)
None of the trees scheduled for removal are old-growth redwoods, but opponents of the project say the roadwork could damage the ancient root systems and overall health of the trees. Lawsuits have been filed in both state and federal court challenging the project. Caltrans Public Information Officer Julie East said the agency is currently advertising the project to contractors for bid, and construction will begin no earlier than this summer.
While Caltrans describes the project as “minor adjustments to the roadway alignment,” protesters issued a harsher assessment today: “They’re gonna fuck up our community! They’re gonna take away everything we love!” one angry picketer yelled.
More images of the protest below.
This youngster (age 13) was brought to the rally by his family. Asked why he wasn’t in school he looked embarrassed. “I’m sick?” he said.
At the scheduled start time of noon, attendance was still a bit thin. But the crowd grew steadily over the next 20 minutes, and before long the languid drum circle (or “drum triangle,” since I counted just three “drummers”) gave way to defiant chants of, “One demand — cancel the plan!”
Speakers took to the PA system to announce a new activist supergroup — Richardson Grove Action Now! — with a new approach to resistance: direct action. An “action camp” training is scheduled for this weekend. (Meanwhile, materials provided by that group, including a rally poster showing tanks, emblazoned with the Caltrans logo, rolling through the redwoods and displaying the battle cry “RESIST INVASION,” have sparked a mini-controversy in their own right.)
While activists created their own cardboard protest signs, police officers took to the roof for a better view.
Word came in this afternoon that protesters had locked themselves together in metal pipes inside the Caltrans offices.
This article appears in Point-In-Time.
When is Humboldt County going to get tired of being run by losers that say no to everything?
Nice job of reporting, Ryan. Thanks.
As much as I love the idea of saving every last Redwood, I have to say that this protest has lost my support. Innocent bystanders have been physically attacked and these so called hippies are anything but peaceful. …and I have a question for Copwatch, why do you guys look so much like terrorists?…maybe because you really are? Go read up on your Dr Martin Luther King Jr you sad excuses!!!
They do not need to widen the road. How do target, sears, kohls, safeway etc…get all of their goods delivered? This will end up costing us in the long run. Our highway will become open to all trucks traveling through, not just trucks delivering to our area stores.
Which means, more pollution and more road repair costs for our county. Oh and the fact that while they work on that area we will be stuck for who knows how long when driving south due to construction. Our state has to close state parks (which we all know brings tourists and money to us) because of budget problems, yet we are going to spend money on a needless construction project. Foolish!
I was at the protest. I am not a hippie or a terrorist, but a person who is concerned about what is left of our environment.
A blogger on the Humboldt Herald has reported that at 5 the EPD began tasering protesters and making arrests leaving the people who were locked in the metal sleeves still inside the building. Does anyone know more?
Skippy’s 2 inital reports are at
The Humboldt Herald hereand pt II here .
“Our highway will become open to all trucks traveling through, not just trucks delivering to our area stores.”
Traveling through to WHERE? Crescent City? Cuz let me assure you, no trucker in their right mind is going to take 101 through Humboldt on the way from Seattle to the SF Bay Area (or vice versa).
Humboldt is not located along a convenient route from any large population center to any other large population center.
So… Humboldt county with it’s population being less than 200,000 people, is so important that they are widening the road at a cost of 3 million dollars? What business is important enough here to warrant that? Obviously there are other benefits that they are thinking of that we don’t know about.
Its not about saying yes to everything or no to everything. Widening the road through richardson’s grove is a bad idea on multiple levels. First off why would you want to spread open Humboldt county’s legs to huge multinational corporations to start importing their crap. Sure this will provide a few more retail jobs the the mass majority of the income will be exported out. If your talking safety, road widening will just make people go faster through the grove, but now factor in larger trucks. Now think of the trees, having any sort of construction or trimming of trees or roots is bad for the old growths. There is no way around it. Widening roads=killing old growths. These are resources we cannot replace in anyone’s lifetime. I was at the protest and heard a woman who lives near the grove talk about how any weakening of the forest makes it vulnerable to windstorms which blow off huge limbs. Bottom line: this plan is in the interests of only one party- big corporations. If you care about keeping Humboldt communities safe and prosperous you will oppose this plan. Otherwise you should just move to Santa Rosa or something.
Correcting concerned citizen above only to say the stated cost of the project is now at around $14 million, not 3. Caltrans said $5 million at most when they announced the project to the public, but less than a year later said it would cost at least $7 million, and it’s increased since.
It’s an outright lie, to say the least, to suggest the “improvement” project will create jobs. That’s buzzword cliche passe. It will actually strike a mortal blow to local family truckers, and dilute the dollar value of everybody in Humboldt who already has a low paying job. Sprawled minimum wage retail businesses flanked by 100+ unit apartment buildings create the kind of environment seen everywhere such infrastructure already exists. It’s the formula for urban blight. This project is a money making operation for the state and all interstate/international developers and business handlers involved.
Thank you, correction..I guess I did not do the proper research, just took the first figure that popped up when searched. Your figure proves my point even more. The state would not spend $14 million on the highway for the benefit of some business in our small county….obviously other reasons are behind this project.
Skippy’s update from today’s Times-Standard article is hereand also an update on Tasers NOT likely being deployed is here.
To note, Kym Kemp, outstanding reporter and photographer of the Redheaded Blackbelt blog, garnered some very rare behind-the-scenes coverage and photos here in addition to Mr. Burns’ great coverage.
Kym notes Taser use was unlikely and yours truly could agree– it may have been confused with the sound of Caltrans electronic doors being forced open– with visual observation obscured due to the confusion and crowd.
I encourage readers to take a look at both the Herald and Kym’s site and first hand reports. The officers were calm and controlled; some of the protesters were not and becoming quite unruly.
peace… skips
An initial unconfirmed and contradictory observation has come through to the Humboldt Herald here and also here that a Taser was used on protesters. The observation is hearsay. EPD Chief Nielsen has clearly said this is not the case and denied their use to the Times-Standard.
The link to today’s Times-Standard article is up and found here for readers.
Upon enlarging the photograph in the link, a distinct yellow Taser can be seen in the officer’s left hand, baton in the right; no contact of either made towards protesters at the time of photographing.
Tasers were used. There is video clearly evincing this. Perhaps it will be posted soon.
I know of at least 2 people who were tased.
I’ll be interested to see that video, Geoff. Sgt. Steve Watson with the Eureka Police Department patently denied that any force was used — Tasers, batons, anything — except by protesters. If you have video proving otherwise, we’d be happy to post it here.
Meanwhile, at the NCRA..
I believe the TS photo shows that Tasers were exhibited but, in spite of reading multiple comments describing folks being tased, I haven’t heard of any taser burns being photographed. And, don’t people fall down when tased? Why wasn’t anything like that photographed or described even?
First, no old growth is being cut. Second, I support the widening as it will make this narrow section safer for bicyclists and usable for more fuel efficient transfer of goods into and out of our home, Humboldt County. That’s my opinion at least.
Harry is a liar. Go back to the blog from whence you came, “Harry”.
I was at the rally Mon. Feb. 7 at Caltrans to save Richardson Grove from road widening. Everything about this gathering was positive, except when a large police officer kneeled down on the chest of a man who had both arms locked to people on either side while another officer squeezed 2 pairs of nunchucks around his ankle and calf. His writhing and screaming did cause all of the onlookers to powerfully chant “shame” repeatedly, and many in the nonviolent crowd did then resist being forced out of the lobby where flagrant torture was occurring.
At the rally were at least 200 people, locals from all walks of life. There were beautiful signs saying things like SLOW DOWN, YIELD TO NATURE, and KEEP HUMCO LOCAL. There were lively speakers, singers, prayers, guitar, mandolin, trumpet, drums, and many chants such as ONE DEMAND-CANCEL THE PLAN, CUT THE CAL TRANS FAT-SAVE MONEY, GET OFF OUR DOORSTEP AND WE’LL GET OFF YOURS, CALTRANS LIES, etc. Democracy was celebrated at our public dept. of trans. on behalf of our protected Park.
To me this issue is about massive development of the Humboldt Bay region, and a huge increase in our industrial police state which will cause quality of life to decline. The time has come to weigh these things we call progress and Nature, and to stand together for the future, with deep respect.
I was there, right ont he front lines as the Copwatch lunatics went at the cops, who were giving clear orders to leave the building. If you are given a (legal) command by an officer, such as to leave a property you are trespassing on, you have to obey his order or risk being arrested.
The final word on Taser use: the officer who pulled his Taser was hit full in the face with someone’s coffee. This is a clear case of assault on an officer. He pulled out his Taser and made it “crackle” without firing the barbs and was about four feet from any person. Everyone panicked and backed away. Not a soul dropped to the ground, which is exactly what happens when you are Tased.
All I observed was a group of Copwatch haters turning forest defense into violence and hatred.
My advice for the RGAN! people is to seaparate your selves from Copwatch completely. Their sole aim is to incite police into violence, document that violence and then use it as eveidence of police brutality.
I say put copwatch on the watch list for hate groups. They obviously have no intention of using nonviolence or truth in their “mission” of keeping police accountable.
I was born and raised here in Eureka. I am all for the Cal Trans project of straightening and widening our highway. It will make is safer and allow more affordable product to be brought to us in the Far North of California. As a young child I remember seeing large homes moved down the streets of Eureka past my school to make way for a freeway to be constructed for better traffic flow. Narrow minded people stopped that and now apprx 30 years later it takes me roughly 30 minutes to traverse Eureka from Fields Landing to Target, one way. Making even a quick run to get a a few things at least an hour and half to two hour trip. Not quick and easy when that is only apprx a 7 mile trip one way. Please stop holding me and my family hostage to this idea that everyone wants Humboldt not to grow and prosper. I don’t want to see my children have to move from this community in order to make an honest, prosperous living. Please consider other peolples ideas and feelings, even when they may disagree with yours. Again my vote is for progress not stagnation here in Humboldt County.
Too bad there’s not this level of concern and protest about the Mattole River and Eel River tribs getting sucked dry every summer by pot growers……..thus impacting our ever-dwindling native salmon and steelhead runs.
foolish soul…what exactly does a terrorist look like? hooded in black? praying in a mosque? An american working from the inside? Is it you the annonymous naysayer on of the blogosphere, who threats and annonymity could be used to make a strong case of inducing terror. A terrorist inflicts terror, there is no physical representation of this.
Copwatch was there to observe and record, we voice our opinion as we see fit, but are not participators. We are in the frontlines because that is where police violence must be documented. Any claims of our instigation are false and will be proved otherwise. When asked to leave we leave (pushing a crowd of 50 back through small doors is a hard feat, especially when they’re pushing back). There were some actions by demonstrators that I will not condemn but were certainly not planned. An officer got cold coffee in the face because he was shoving folks with batons and repeatedly chose a person to shove who didn’t want to take it. We dress in a subversive manner because we, you, everyone there (and in the world) is under surveillance and it’s our duty be available to document actions to protect everyone involved and our annonymity (or however much of our identity we CAN hide) allows us not to be harassed by police on a daily basis. Perhaps you forget that we document a particular police force who has murdered many people within the span on 5 years, who could have used our support while being violated by police (ultimately leading to their demise)
Whoever BY GOODNESS is has a false sense of understanding, and betrays the people expressing themselves. Why would you be there, in the final seconds, breaking a trespassing law and being forced out with the rest of us, yet deem the collective’s actions as instigation…YOUR PRESENCE WAS INSTIGATION. Police don’t require instigation to be violent, that is there job, they used a procedure of brute force and fear to push us out. I never blame the officers themselves, they have a confused sense of duty but are ultimately a machine of conduct. I love them and hope they see how their existence alone is a violent act. If demonstrators wanted to be destructive and violent, they would have been from the start. No one is associated with us…we act alone from all entites in order to observe, the best we can, the instances that occur, for better or worse. Are you also aware that the Times-Standard photographer was allowed behind police lines to photograph and demonize those in front of him, while he himself was trespassing (we are as legitimate of a media source as he was, we just don’t have a deal with the EPD). No one can ‘break-away’ from us because we are there of our own accord. And, technically, anyone filming or photographing the event is effectively copwatching (a simple noun verb coordination) cop-watching…like bird-watching). You were effectively cop-watching, your report back was just more of an untruthful perspective of the days events
Also, educate yourselves -Tasers:
Stun guns shoot an electrical pulse that’s designed to go through clothing and skin and give someone a nasty shock. A very high voltage ensures that the pulse will reach its target, and the very low amperage keeps it from doing any lasting damage. It’s helpful to analogize these measures with water pressure: A high voltage is akin to water that’s flowing at high pressure, while a low amperage is like water that’s not flowing very quickly. The injury inflicted by an electric shock depends on the interaction between the “pressure” and “flow rate” of the electricity. (The area and duration of contact also make a difference.)Stun guns work by pressing a pair of electrodes against the victim in order to create an electric circuit. (Most use 9-volt batteries, or a handful of AAs.) Tasers differ from standard stun guns in that the electrodes are tethered to long, insulated wires and can be fired from the weapon with a burst of carbon dioxide. A standard stun gun or cattle prod can only be used at close range; Tasers can shoot someone from 20 feet away.
Yesterday people were effectively cattle-prodded by tasers, the police department gets to decide the language between “use” and “non-use”.
As well with batons. They were drawn in ready position and used to force and push people (they hurt like hell when quickly jabbed in short distance). We have accounts and pictures, our limited resources do not allow us the turnover rate that other media agencies have, but they will be released.
And last of all, copwatch is there because the police are intimidated by us, by any person willing to sacrifice themselves to document violent behavior. That is why they sheathed the interior caltrans windows with yellow plastic in order to prevent documentation, by all media outlets, they know we are watching and that judgement will come from their misgivings. It’s biblical shit. They even used our own signs to secure more space on the windows, expressing our concerns back at us. They of course couldn’t prevent documentation because copwatchers, and watchful citizens, are ever vigilant and resourceful. Everyone should have a little ninja inside them. I am a lunatic and we’re all locked in the asylum!
NO COMPROMISE FOR NATIVE FOREST! FUCK FALSE PROGRESS!
I’m glad this has stayed a civilized discussion.
Check out the new Access Humboldt video:
http://www.archive.org/details/AH-Richardson_Grove_Protest
Make your own judgments, but I would say it’s obvious that the Times-Standard got it wrong. And this article by Ryan Burns smells just like Hank “the Stank” Sims 😉
The cops were reckless, abusive and violent to those locked down, which in effect escalated the whole situation. See for yourself…
smaller roads = more peace and quiet.
we move to places like humboldt or costa rica (like me) for peace and quiet, and a better cleaner life but babylon tries to follow so as to drain our lifeblood too, like they do to the rest of the populace.
i say do not widen the road or babylon follows.
As a Headwaters campaign veteran I’ve experienced many police lies. Maybe it’s helpful to put them in cultural perspective: I’ve also experienced corporations and governments–also composed of fungible employees–lying sincerely all my life long. About Agent Orange, insurance claims, throwing uninsured out of emergency rooms, routine communications, civilian deaths, honest incompetence–you name it.
Organizations hold themselves together with reports, which are treated as authoritative wherever their word-webs spread. Whatever yarn one cop spins is echoed by another, until a higher cop says something different, which then defines the echo chamber. And it’s no different in government, in the military, in corporations, non-profits, fraternal organizations, cartels.
I can well believe Garr Nielson doesn’t think he’s a liar. I can well believe Tasers are easily diddled to un-record their use. These details are Modern Life 101. It’s why cops beat bad lawyers and good lawyers beat cops: it’s why entrapment is only illegal if you have an expensive lawyer, it’s why you need your head examined and a meth connection to fight any bureaucracy. There’s no reality there, there are only official reports, and you frothing at the mouth.
Finally, on the word ‘used.’ I was amused to read in the T-S Garr’s claim that ‘No Tasers or batons were used,’ right next to the photo of a Taser pointed at a demonstrator, with batons wielded on either side. Are guns not ‘used’ until they’re fired? That’s not what I think when one’s pointed at me.
We have to be clear that loyalty to the company story is the first qualification for any employee of a hive. Consider the bee before you judge a cop–or a county planner.