Pattern of Violence Against Headwaters Activists
specific to incidents involving Pacific Lumber employees
in Humboldt County, California
12/27/98 Freshwater, CA Tree-sits in a residual old growth. THP along Freshwater Rd. Marbled Murrelet territory, salmon habitat. Activist's car parked on side of road below the tree-sit was smashed with baseball bats in the early morning hours of the 27th. After the initial assault on the vehicle, the vandals returned and pushed the car over the embankment, totaling it. Tree-sitters took video of incident.
12/9/98 Grizzly Creek THP 97-172 Above the site of David "Gypsy" Chain's death. Grizzly Creek area is known Marbled Murrelet and Bald Eagle habitat and on the southern edge of the Headwaters acquisition area and adjacent to Humboldt redwoods State Park old growth reserve.
While trying to evict and arrest two tree-sitters, PL climbers removed tree-sitters' equipment, sleeping bags, one platform, and rope to the ground as well as removing 80% of the branches from the tree. The sitters were stranded approx. 80 feet up for over 12 hours on a freezing night until EF! crews could girth climb the tree and rescue the activists.
10/14/98 Freshwater, CA Day after tree-sit went up, PL falling crew verbally threatened tree-sitter and felled trees at his tree in an attempt to scare him and knock him from his perch. Repeated incidents of gun shots fired in the direction of tree-sitters. Verbal violence daily from passers by on the road since tree-sit established.
9/17/98 Grizzly Creek THP 97-172 PL logger felled Redwood trees in the direction of a group of activists, killing David "Gypsy" Chain. Activists were trying to communicate with logger about potential violations in the THP. Logger was irrate and screaming at the group. He makes numerous threats prior to killing David, including saying he is going to fall a tree at them. Video taken of interaction between group and logger.
9/16/98 Grizzly Creek THP 97-172 Small group on worker outreach action met logger (who killed David the next day) in the THP and have 45 min. conversation with him. Threats were made by logger at end of the encounter with group, saying he would not hesitate to cut a tree down with a activist in it.
8/8-12/98 Sulphur Creek, Mattole River Watershed Mattole area is the last of the intact unprotected old-growth Douglas Fir in the North coast. Steep gorges and slopes characterize the area. Mattole River and surrounding 2nd class streams are habitat for endangered Coho salmon and Steelhead trout. Loggers worked in two active THPs while their sons formed groups to chase and run-down or tree activists. They were physically and verbally violent toward activists in the Mattole. Some incidents include falling trees at activists while they sat in trees, on one occasion hitting the tree; unsafely removing activists from the trees; cutting off all the branches of trees so they would have no way down; threats of death and serious bodily harm and cursing.
5/1/98 Bell Creek, Headwaters Forest Complex North of All Species Grove where the last residual old growth along the bank of Bell-Lawrence Creek, a fish bearing stream and flowed south into the pristine grove. Activist were involved in road blockade to stop the cutting of Bell Creek old growth. Loggers became violent and one kicked activist in the head. Once Sheriffs arrived activist was taken to the hospital and suffered a head concussion.
late 1/98 Stafford, CA PL clear-cut on side of ridge above the town of Stafford -- site of a huge mudslide on January 31,1996. Tree-sit established on hill when a second identical clear-cut was approved right next to the existing slide. All the trees in that specific plan were cut except Luna with her tree-sitter Julia Butterfly Hill.
Because of the steepness of the hillside, PL used Columbia helicopters to yard cut trees from the THP and take them to log decks in more stable locations. Helicopter operators buzzed Luna repeatedly, coming so close to the tree-sit that Julia was in danger of being blown out of the tree or hit by a limb falling due to the high winds the helicopter activity produced, Logs were picked up and carried directly over the tree-sit. Video of incident was taken. PL hired security guards camped for one week at the base of Luna in an effort to starve and harrass Julia from the tree-sit, using tactics such as air horns and flood lights.
12/21/97 Owl Creek, Headwaters Forest Complex One of remaining old growth groves of Headwaters Forest. Marbled Murrelet and Spotted Owl habitat. THP would clearcut residual old growth.
Support person in road blockade was climbing a tree near the action for a better view of the events. When he refused to come down, PL employee cut the tree he was in, up slope, causing the activist to fall with the tree approx. 30 feet. Activist arrested on the ground. Sheriffs standing near by, ignored the situation.
11/15/97 Fisher Gate, Carlotta, CA Main PL entrance to the Headwaters Forest 60,000 acres complex. Gate is site of many road blockades and symbolic actions to slow the cutting of ancient forest inside the complex.
Three activists in a car drove through Fisher gate in search of the group of hikers from the 'Hike for Headwaters II'. The three were stopped on the road by loggers who subsequently surrounded the car. Videographer was grabbed around the neck and thrown on hood of car by Sheriffs deputy. Loggers participated in the outrageous behavior of the cop by saying they saw the videographer assault him.
10/31/97 Bear Creek, near Stafford, CA Coho salmon habitat.
Two activists locked-down to a yarder and bulldozer in a THP at Bear Creek. Both activists were subjected to verbal abuse, spit in the face repeatedly, punched in the mouth. Pepper spray used on two activists by Humboldt County Sheriff's dept.
11/12/96 Fisher Gate, Carlotta, CA Activist's car pushed over the side of the road by loggers or supporters of the timber industry during a gate lock-down. Car was totaled, activist's dog was locked inside.
11/3/96 Allen Creek Grove, Headwaters Forest Complex In the fall of 1996, Calif. Dept. of Forestry allowed PL to salvage log the five smaller groves of Head-waters Forest. Salvage logging consists of dragging downed trees from the forest with bulldozers, numerous skid trails are used and the salvaging produces extensive damage to the forest floor.
Activist chased and tackled by logger. Almost broke her wrist in the process of citizen's arresting her. Very rough treatment.
10/15/96 All Species Grove, Headwaters Forest Complex
During a bulldozer lock-down in a salvage logging operation, a group of twenty activists came upon a PL-hired security guard guarding the equipment. He became irrate after seeing that the activists were not going to leave and produced a three foot long stick. He hit one activist in the forehead, knocking him to the ground; hitting and prodding many others during the course of the morning.
10/9/96 All Species Grove, Headwaters Forest Complex
Salvage logging action. Large group of activists were locked down to bulldozers on an equipment landing. Loggers assaulted activist while he was locked to a CAT, slamming his head into the lock box.
10/1/96 Owl Creek THP 580 Headwaters Forest Complex
PL climber removed activists from tree-sit in unsafe manner, lowering them from 70-80 feet in the air with a single rope tied under their arms. Jeering and laughing from loggers and cops as activist screams the rope is choking her.
10/1/96 Owl Creek THP 580, Unit 2 Headwaters Forest Complex
Activists had set up a tripod and built many rock barriers to stop cutting in Owl Creek. Loggers arrived in the early morning and removed the barriers, driving right up to the tripod. One logger tackled the videographer for the action group. Then PL loggers grabbed two activists and a third with cameras and threw them over the steep embankment. They rolled approx. 50-100 feet down the embankment, and then the loggers began throwing boulders down upon them, hitting the camera man in the head and leaving a large gash. The hurt activist, in an attempt to escape the loggers, was lost in the forest for two days due to his head injuries.
9/30/96 Owl Creek THP 580, Unit 2 Headwaters Forest Complex
PL workers rammed tree with activists in it three different times causing the tree to shake and sway.
9/19/96 Owl Creek THP 580, Unit 2 Headwaters Forest Complex
PL climber endangered tree-sitters while attempting to remove their gear form the tree-sits. Sheriff's deputy on ground with rifle trained on activists, threatened to shoot them if they moved while the climber was working.
8/19/96 Fisher Gate, Carlotta, CA Activist kicked in lower back while passing by a crowd of loggers congregated on Fisher Road, just beyond the action site.
12/1/92 Owl Creek THP 237 Headwaters Forest Complex THP comprised half of the remaining ancient forest in Owl Creek Grove.
Activists chased by bulldozer and nearly crushed by its blades; trees felled with activists in close proximity verbal threats; loggers tackled activists.
For further information,contact Angela Wartes
North Coast Earth First! 707-825-6598
or email: NCEF@Humboldt1.com
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