Officers hurt in melee with UC tree sitters
BERKELEY: Protesters throw liquid in eyes of UC workers, police say; three arrested
By Kristin Bender
San Jose Mercury
BERKELEY -- Two UC Berkeley police officers were taken to the hospital early Thursday after tree sitters and their supporters at the campus oak grove tried to damage a protective fence and tossed an unidentified liquid into the officers' eyes during a late-night fray, a campus spokesman said Thursday. The officers, whose names were not made available, were treated and released from an area hospital, said UC Berkeley assistant Chief Mitch Celaya. The liquid -- which burned the officers' eyes -- has not been identified, police said. The melee -- with police in riot gear and using batons on resisting tree protesters -- resulted in the arrest of three people at the oak grove near Memorial Stadium. Since December, protesters have been living in trees to try to stop construction of a $125 million sports training center. Both sides said the melee began after a man tried to cut parts of a chain-link fence surrounding the grove and a police officer attempted to detain him. Tree sitters, however, contend the man was attacked by the officer. Protesters already were angered by reports that the university was not allowing food or water into the grove. Police arrested Clara Luna, 40, on suspicion of three counts of battery on a peace officer, resisting arrest and violating a court order. Nathan Pitts, 27, was arrested on suspicion of four counts of battery on a peace officer, resisting arrest and violation of a court order, Celaya said.
Also arrested was Aleksey Maromyguin, 20, on suspicion of trespassing with an attempt to damage property, resisting arrest and violation of a court order, Celaya said. Pitts and Maromyguin were issued seven-day stay-away orders, police said. The clash prompted the university Thursday to begin putting barbed wire atop one of the fences. "This is extremely unfortunate that we've gotten to this place," said university spokesman Dan Mogulof. "As far as we are concerned, (this) provides additional evidence about why we must put the pieces in place to secure the area and enforce the law. Recent events make it clear beyond any shadow of a doubt that this is nothing more than a dangerous and illegal occupation of university property." Despite a recent Alameda County Superior Court order that mandates that tree sitters must come down or face a $1,000 fine, five days in jail or both, there are still as many as six people perched on platforms in the trees, police said. The melee began about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday when a group of about 50 tree-sit supporters gathered on the sidewalk in front of the oak grove to protest what they called the university's "starve out," supporters said.
Police had arrested a man earlier in the evening after he attempted to hand a metal box to a tree sitter, police said. Police served him with a court injunction that prevented him from coming to the grove, but he later returned and was arrested, police said. That incident apparently sparked reports that the university was banning food, water and supplies from entering the grove. Mogulof said the university is not denying food or water and has no plans to do so at this point.
In October, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Barbara Miller presided over a trial for three consolidated lawsuits against the university to stop the training center. The city of Berkeley, the California Oak Foundation and the Panoramic Hill Association all have sued to stop the project because it is slated to be built near the Hayward fault, among other reasons. Miller is expected to release a written ruling on the suits soon. The university put up a chain-link fence before the start of the Cal football season to protect the safety of tree sitters and football fans. A second fence went up last week. The part of the fence that was damaged has been fixed.
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