A-Infos (en) Comprehensive / Home Depot action, Chicago

["Arch Clown" <mcyinyang2@hotmail.com>]

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Wild Onion Earth First! Red Gate Earth First!
Chicago IL. Saturday, March 20 1999 5 Arested at Home Depot Demonstration & one Hospitalized.
Curent status; All 5 have ben realease on an I-Bondand and are doing fine.
>From mike d:

Hi you-all. I just got out of Jail and I will explain a bit of me most 
recent excursions to the wild,.... urban style.

Some Chicago area Earth First'ers!, Wild Onion EF! & Red Gate EF!, got 
together to bring the Home Depot and it's customers a wee mesage 
regarding Home Depot's policy on lumber products from the ancient 
forests (old growth),or rather, thier lack of policy.

We targeted Home Depot cuz they control 30% of the DIY home 
improvement market and are the largest purchaser of products for old 
growth forests.
Part of a national day/s of action aginst Home Depot called by 
Rainforest Action Network.

The Action: 15 activists' descended on the Home Depot on Chicago's 
near 
north side to conduct "dead rarinforest tours".

Two folks, Phil Deny and Mark Herbst locked down on the forward lumber 
racks , 1/2 way up and inside the store using steel tube lock-box's,, 
logo's "ZERO CUT".  

Other teams in the store did a more aproachable dead rainforest 
tours,,, talking to coustomers in the store , pointing out what 
products came from what region of the world and explaining the enviro 
threats. 

Further adding to the chaos..   Apparently ,sombody/s learned the 
intercom access code to all those  floor phones , hum,,, and they 
apparently felt the need to educate the  consumers of the isues, 
deforestation and Home Depot's role in it.... for about an 1-1/2 hrs, 
these anouncements would intermittently and mysteriously fill the 
super store. The store management, security, the 25 plus cops,  7 or 
more fire fighters and two paramedics were befuddled.

we started the action about 11:AM and it took the Cops about 40 
minutes to arrive... then the Fire Department and Paramedics another 
30 minutes. All the while these two with their big hearts and mouths 
ignored plees to stop and remove from the racks.  One cop, Perez, was 
the first on the scene and seemed fairly even-tempered, how ever 
several subsequent arrivals included hard ass PO's. 

My under cover atempt to video document was found out and I was asked 
to turn it off and then later asked to leave. I insisted to talk to 
the officer in charge, Perez!, explaining I was a friend and there to 
look after the welfare of the activists. This young cop said ok, but 
reminded me that I was warned to leave and I could be arrested for 
trespassing.

After a minute I got Perez's attention, asking if I could talk to him. 
I again explained that I was a friend of the activists and I asked If 
I could stay to look after the welfare of my frinds. He agreed so long 
as I put away the camera and keep to a certain distance, a specific 
spot. I agreed and did so.

More cops were ariving as well as a swelling Home Depot crews of 100 
plus.  Our brave hearts took full advantage of this audience. 
describing what Home Depot is doing and how they can choose to not 
purchase items in their store. The audience was mostly humored and not 
annoyed.... many were openly suportive as well as were some cops and 
the paramedics though more quietly.

The fire depart. had arrived and now they are using a big platform 
elavator to access the racks. they used a fork lift to remove a pile 
of wood above ther heads. I thought it reckless and announced it as so 
but was ignored.

One of the hard ass cops was involved in disassembling part of the 
racks and trying to move the two around, he was  bit rough.  
Additionally while disasembling some of the 4 ft 2x6 boards used as 
shelf planking, at least one fell and knocked dizzy Jeff. 

The fire dept also covered both Jeff and Phil with a large tarp. then 
proceeded to use a chain saw motor like grinder/cutter to disassemble 
the actual rack... the crowed was moved back twice for sparks were 
flying everywere...  (possibly some footage?).

The cops for a long time were pulling at there arms. Jeff at one 
point, in a lot of pain agreed to unlock so long as the one toughie 
was kept away. As soon as he unlocked this very cop atacked and 
literally choked till Jeff lost consciousness.   Phil was knocked 
around and pinned, he was shoved by one cop and forced to fall.

After this abuse by the cops, and because of a lack of trust, Jeff and 
Phil refused to carry themselves away.. they had to be carried out.

Phils charges, we beleve are: Crim-tresspass, Damage to property 
($480.oo), Resisting arrest.

Jeff: Crim-Tresspass and  ---?---,

by this time I was outside and saw phil being carried out i was 
loading my camera when the same toughass cop came up and started to 
yell about how I was told no video .. I said i left and i'm outside 
now he then said you were asked to leave so i said the officer in 
charge perez said we could observe, he was foaming.. and said that he 
was a sgt and ordered us to leave...  I said ok it's over anyway .  I 
turned to go , walked to my van , 75 ft but still on there lot. when 
anouther oficer come and said wait a minut. 

He places Yael, Mark and myself under arrest,  first saying that we 
were warned and we sill stayed around. I insisted that PO Perez said 
it was ok. He said that before that though , Home Depot asked you to 
leave. (charge - criminal trespassing) although Mark had been kicked 
out for using their floor phones, Yael was never asked to leave by 
either Home Depot employees or officers.

Jeff was hospitalized. The hospital checked out his swollen wrists 
and gave him a cat-scan, they also documented red bruising all around 
jeff's neck. 

We were all locked up for about 8hrs ( short hunger strike ) and 
I-Bonded out (OR). Our hearing is May 7th.

Sparce media but was faverable; WGN-tv got some posters and an good 
interview with Carlos D, another EF!er. 

"Home Depot says that they are  being responsible and selling 
responsible wood products, when in fact they still carry wood products 
from old-growth forests", was the gist of the quote; Home Depot's 
response was merely a lame "we give our customers what they 
demand"-type excuse. [Carlos Desperdicio writing]

The protest was over around 1:30..... 2.5 hours of disrupting thier 
busness as usual
 
============

We are gonna fight it all...

mike



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