Elliot Blockade Currently Disengaged! Remaining 8 Arrested! 20 People Released

On July 6th forest defenders from Cascadia and across the country set up road blockades at the Umpcoos Ridge timber sale to save some of the last native forests in Oregon from clearcutting. The Elliot State Forest is one of the few remaining intact coastal forest ecosystems, and provides critical habit for Spotted Owls, Coho Salmon, and Marbled Murrelets.

Logging has been halted in the forest but the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), the state patrol, and the Douglass County Sheriffs have begun extracting people from the blockades using heavy handed police state tactics. So far over 23 people have been confirmed arrested in police raids on the blockade.

** We just got word that the remaining people in the forest have been arrested and the blockade taken down. These remaining 8 people will be processed today. All of these people desperately need your support!

Bail:
We are reaching out to our friends far and wide to try and raise bail
money for those already arrested and those facing charges for
defending the forests. You can donate using paypal by going to the
website http://www.forestdefensenow.org.

There are numerous benefits in the works right now. If you can help out
with any fund-raising, please let me know.

Jail Support:
** 20 people have just been released! Right now we are working on rides
for these folks. Please let me know if you are able to give a ride.
stephanie@mountainrebel.net

>>>On the Elliot Free State...

Martyrdom only continues. The Elliot "Free" State method of lock down and patiently awaiting arrest are not only compromising, but ineffective. The people involved built barricades of sorts which seemed to be somewhat substantial on their own. Yet, they continued to play into the role of the "activist". The activist, the martyr, the dogma victim. What did the people at Elliot expect to get out of this action? If it was the forest that was motivating their desires then what was the premise behind sacrifice by lock down? It is evident that when one locks down, then arrest is inevitable. Yet, when one acts swiftly and precise then arrest may be evaded. The slogan of "No Comprise!" seems particularly hollow in this case, putting oneself on the forefront with literally no way to run or rearrange strategies is essentially comprise. The fact that the police will come, cut, and arrest is inescapable with these tactics. Willingly going to jail creates more problems in an already problematic, stressful world. It is best that jail and arrest are avoided, not openly encouraged. The government we live in is not a weak one, actions like such as not inclined to lead to upheaval or "success" and therefore should be orchestrated in the shadows.