UPDATE OCT 10th, 2:30PM – All Press Have Left the Tree Blockade
UPDATE OCT 10th, 2:00PM – Police Are Denying All Press Access to the Tree Blockade
Police working as hired thugs for TransCanada have effectively sealed off all press access to the tree blockade. After two more journalists were detained and handcuffed for standing on nearby private property the police moved the tape demarcating the Keystone XL easement line back 60 feet. TransCanada’s thugs have now claimed nearby private property as their own and are denying free press access to observe and report on the tree blockade.
UPDATE OCT 10th, 1:50PM – The Two Detained Journalists Have Been Released
After police arrested two freelance journalists, Lorenzo and Elizabeth, yesterday and made them spend the night in jail, they had the audacity to put two more journalists in handcuffs today. They detained the two journalists from a major media outlet that wishes to remain anonymous at this time, for several minutes before releasing them. While they had them in handcuffs TransCanada’s hired thugs made a phone call, presumably to higher ups, and then released them.
They were handcuffed by an officer who initially said he was not a “TransCanada police officer” but then proceeded to put journalists in handcuffs. The detaining officer refused to provide identification.
UPDATE OCT 10th, 1:45PM – Two Journalists Have Been Detained and Placed in Handcuffs
UPDATE OCT 10th, 1:30PM – TransCanada’s Hired Thugs Handcuff Another Journalist!
Another reporter has been handcuffed at the tree blockade while observing from nearby private property. Today TransCanada’s disregard for constitutional rights sinks to a whole new low. Local police acting as hired thugs for this multi-national corporation have handcuffed a reporter from a major media outlet.
Local police from surrounding counties are getting paid $30 an hour by TransCanada to operate a police state at the tree blockade with 24/7 surveillance, floodlights, and orders to arrest without question. Senior officers have told us that their “mandate from TransCanada is to arrest anyone who sets foot” on the Keystone XL pipeline easement. Apparently that also applies to anyone who even comes close enough to set eyes on the easement. Never mind that they are from the press and have a first amendment right to report on this repression.
UPDATE OCT 10th, 11:45AM – Both Elizabeth and Lorenzo Have Been Released – Charges Dropped!
Elizabeth and Lorenzo have been released and TransCanada has decided to drop the charges because they are press. I guess TransCanada’s high dollar PR team had enough sense to drop the charges after the uproar on social media in response to the arrests of two freelance journalists. Thanks to everyone who responded!
However, the Wood County Sheriff’s Department has yet to return the camera they confiscated from peaceful observers at an action last week. _______
UPDATE 7:45PM – Elizabeth and Lorenzo Have Both Been Arrested – Contribute to Their Bail
Support Elizabeth and Lorenzo for bringing you live stream coverage of the tree blockade. Make a generous donation to their bail.
UPDATE 7:30PM – Lorenzo Has Been Arrested
Lorenzo, a freelance journalist, has been arrested while attempting to cover the tree blockade story. ”I’m a journalist!” he proclaimed as the cuffs were being put on by camouflaged police that have laid siege to the tree blockade.
UPDATE 7:20PM - Lorenzo Attempting to Safely Descend
UPDATE 7:18PM - Elizabeth Has Been Arrested
UPDATE 7:13PM – Two Freelance Journalists Attempt to Descend From Timber Scaffolding
A week ago freelance journalists, Elizabeth Arce and Lorenzo Serna, climbed up the timber scaffolding at the tree blockade to help document the story. We just got word that they are attempting to safely come down.
Hearing about TransCanada’s active encouragement of torture tactics and operating heavy machinery dangerously close to peaceful blockaders they came to help bring this struggle to a broader audience. They often help document social movements and use the watchful eye of their cameras to help protect peaceful protestors from brutality.
Elizabeth and Lorenzo are pioneers of New Media platforms and expand what is possible in the world of live streaming and New Journalism. They hope to create a new interactive form of Journalism that brings together the journalist on the ground and the viewers collaborating in real time. Elizabeth’s live stream can be found here, and Lorenzo’s here.
They were able to live stream the first several days of the action before TransCanada and the police placed the tree blockade under siege. They completely sealed off the perimeter and made it nearly impossible for anyone to safely set foot on the ground. Afraid of facing trumped up felony charges Elizabeth and Lorenzo made a difficult decision to remain on the scaffolding and keep their cameras streaming to protect peaceful protestors from being met with further repression.
UPDATE 7:00PM – Four Camouflaged Police Officers Surround the Timber Scaffolding
Media affiliates are on the site off the the designated Keystone XL easement to observe.
___
Watch this terrifying footage taken last week from a blockader filming in a hanging platform as TransCanada’s heavy machinery cuts dangerously close to our friends on the timber scaffolding. The clear-cutting machines devour trees and drop them to the ground with an alarming disregard for federal safety regulations and peaceful protestors nearby.
TransCanada and the police have continued to tighten their grip on the tree blockade as it enters its 17th day. Blockaders on the timber scaffolding and in the trees are reporting conditions of sleep deprivation as they attempt to catch some shut eye under the massive floodlights TransCanada keeps aimed at them all night long. The normal melodic chirps and croaks of frogs and insects are now drowned out by the noisy diesel generators that grind relentlessly through the normally serene forest nights. Dozens of TransCanada workers and camouflaged police swarm the ground below maintaining a constant 24-7 surveillance of tree blockaders and film their every move. For all intents and purposes our peaceful forrest has become an occupied police state. Supply lines have been cut, literally, as police have severed ropes used to get much needed food and water to our friends in the trees.
Despite these almost insurmountable challenges tree blockaders remain ever more resolved to hold their ground and defend our homes from this toxic pipeline. Their dreams of how their actions will inspire a growing movement of resistance to fossil fuel extraction is giving them the strength to continue the struggle.
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Andy Cagle
October 9, 2012 at 10:55 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Thinking of you all daily, just wanted to write and say thank you again and again!!!!!
wish I could offer more than just words of support! Stay safe up there, I hope you can get some sleep.
ac
ken McLaren
October 9, 2012 at 11:00 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
I invented Gen-Ref© offshore mass HHO fuels extraction and refining concept. I presented it to Senator John Kerry in 2004. The guy tried to shoplift it to a university. It is proven industrial technology, can litteraly replace oil and gas and is 100% renewable. Bush Jr paid millions to destroy me, the concept, three corporations I owned and threatened to nuder my family and children. He was definately psychotic. I united with President V.Putin, a realist in energy and former KGB trained to counter CIA. We fought the oil companies and Bush faction for eight years. My Gen-Reef© was published online. I came up with-it in 1978 while attending Oklahoma State University Engineering. I admire your willingness to protect our resources and wildlife but much bigger issues and demonic figures exist out there and are damned dangerious also. Be careful all if you. God Bless and thank you for having the courage to stand and fight.
wijzigjepolis gsmtopdeall
October 9, 2012 at 11:52 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Thаt іs a verу goοd tіp espеcially to thosе neω to the
blogosρhere. Shoгt but vеrу асcuratе information Thanκ you foг sharіng thiѕ one.
A must reaԁ ροst!
Heather Snow
October 10, 2012 at 1:34 am (UTC -6) Link to this comment
I hate THEM!!!!!!!and thankyou……….wish I could be there. Good job!
IndigoDreamz
October 10, 2012 at 3:23 am (UTC -6) Link to this comment
I do’t get it? Is this someones private land? Does it belong to any of these protestors? If not, why are you preventing people from doing their jobs and then blaming them. You ARE trespassing, which is AGAINST the Law! Where is this? A few people CAN’T decide, in a Democratic Republic, how things work or won’t work. That is a Dictatorship. And how exactly are these pipelines a bad thing? Maybe I’m missing something, but reading this and watching the videos, its those in the trees that are breaking the law, that are being DICTATORS, and Forcing ‘Their’ will on everyone else. Sorry, but it is what it is. It is a Majority rules. Betterment for the majority. Oil is desperately needed.
Again, unless this is someone’s private property, that was forcefully taken from that individual, or I am missing something else- not included above, not sure why those in the trees think they are in the right
/.
Maybe someone can write more about this? More details and history? Thus allowing people who happen by this site to know more of what is going on.
Warren Kimmitt
October 10, 2012 at 4:07 am (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Thank you for your great courage. Remember that there are hundreds of thousands of Canadians who are with you in spirit.
Also, thank you from my grand-children -
RTNA
October 10, 2012 at 7:37 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Benedict Arnold is reviled in U.S. history as a person who took money from a foreign country to be a British rent-a-thug over Americans during the revolution.
What do we think of these local cops doing pretty much the same thing from Canadians?
A bit on the treasonous side if you as ask us. Texas cops betray their country.
dbm78636
October 10, 2012 at 7:52 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
IndigoDreamz – go to tarsandsblockade.org. Yes, it is on people’s private land! There’s this thing called “eminent domain”, which gives the government power to forcefully take your land if they so desire!!!
anonymous
October 11, 2012 at 1:07 am (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Yes but it was also taken over by protestors — and yes, Indigodreamz, they ARE on private property whether landowners like it or not. To landowners, it feels like being twice occupied
Tom Terrific 1954
October 10, 2012 at 7:58 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
So — who is “CPD?” What law enforcement agency has legitimate jurisdiction on this woman’s ranch? Who PAYS such “law enforcement?”
Patti Gorcheff
October 10, 2012 at 10:13 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
God bless and keep you safe. They just don’t get it, what do they THINK our motives are when people are willing to put their lives on the line? Much Love and Solidarity from Ohio.
Jan Moore
October 10, 2012 at 10:56 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Bless you and thank you for your courage in standing up for our planet. You have many with you in spirit.
The Matthew Filipowicz Show » Blog Archive » Episode 160 with Ari Berman and Josh Eidelson
October 11, 2012 at 1:43 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
[...] also discuss journalists arrested at the Tar Sands Blockade, how FOIA requests are being outsourced to companies like CACI [...]
Police Paid by TransCanada Detain New York Times Journalists on Private Property » Tar Sands Blockade
October 11, 2012 at 3:58 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
[...] and prevented from approaching the blockade site or making contact with protesters. These repressive actions took place on private property, indicating that TransCanada is employing a private police force to [...]
New York Times Reporters Detained Covering Keystone XL Protests in East Texas | StateImpact Texas
October 11, 2012 at 4:28 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
[...] on the website helping to organize the protest, Tar Sands Blockade, indicate that the incident took place at private property adjacent to where protesters have camped [...]
Police Paid by TransCanada Detain New York Times Journalists on Private Property | OccuWorld
October 12, 2012 at 2:12 am (UTC -6) Link to this comment
[...] and prevented from approaching the blockade site or making contact with protesters. These repressive actions took place on private property, indicating that TransCanada is employing a private police force to [...]
Some Answers (and More Questions) About the Reporters Detained Covering Keystone XL Protests | StateImpact Texas
October 12, 2012 at 6:12 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
[...] the situation in East Texas is the fact that two individuals claiming to be freelance reporters who had camped out at the tree sit-in for a week were arrested the day before, according to the [...]
A Wall Against the Threshold Of Collapse (Day 20) » Tar Sands Blockade
October 13, 2012 at 4:34 am (UTC -6) Link to this comment
[...] a freelance journalist who was embedded on the timber scaffolding wall for a week before he was arrested by TransCanada and later released without charges because he is with the press. ___ I arrived in East Texas [...]
Tree Blockade Sustains an Entire Month of Resistance! » Tar Sands Blockade
October 24, 2012 at 12:02 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
[...] Day 16 – Tuesday, Oct. 9: Elizabeth and Lorenzo, journalists who were embedded in the tree blockade, announce to the police that they were going to come down from the tree blockade just before sunset. Four camouflaged police officers emerged from the tree line and surround the timber scaffolding. Wearing his press credentials Lorenzo is arrested after climbing down and proclaims, “I’m a journalist!” Both journalists were taken off site and charged with criminal trespassing. [...]