Protesters occupy 200-year-old tree at US-Mexico border to stop its destruction: ‘She’s our Statue of Liberty’
Demonstrators stage ‘tree sit’ in Arizona town to stop felling of ancient cottonwood grove to make way for border wall
TL;DR
- Protesters are staging a 'tree sit' in Lochiel, Arizona, to protect a 200-year-old cottonwood tree.
- The tree is in the path of a planned secondary border wall being built by federal contractors.
- Three large cottonwood trees were previously destroyed by excavators.
- The demonstration aims to save the last remaining ancient cottonwood, referred to as 'our Statue of Liberty'.
- Activists argue the border wall construction is unnecessary in the area and harms wildlife corridors.
- Federal contractors are exempt from many environmental laws, including the Endangered Species Act, due to the Real ID Act.
- The protest includes environmental activists from groups like the Sierra Club and the Madrean Archipelago Wildlife Center.