Activist Stanton Wood was arrested and released earlier today

Some of the activists who’ve been actively protesting logging efforts at Rainbow Ridge in recent weeks gathered in front of the Humboldt County Courthouse today following the early morning arrest of a fellow protester on Humboldt Redwood Company property.

When protester Stanton Wood emerged from the jail he was greeted with hugs and gratitude from his associates. 

Wood told the Outpost he was arrested by Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office deputies after he’d locked himself to an excavator in an attempt to prevent further construction of a logging road adjacent a tree currently occupied by a tree sitter. The action followed the release yesterday of video recorded by the tree sitter — named “Rook” — and posted online that appeared to show trees being felled in close proximity to the populated tree. 

Wood was pleased by his efforts and those of other protesters this morning noting that HRC crews “weren’t able to work for about two hours.” 

[BELOW: Video and photos reportedly of the site of the tree sit and arrests posted to social media by Rainbow Ridge activists.]

The incidents are the latest of many confrontations over the last few years between activists hoping to halt Humboldt Redwood Company logging operations on a 560-acre piece of Rainbow Ridge in the Mattole watershed. Last week, HCSO was called to an HRC property access gate on Monument Road after a protester perched atop a 24-foot ladder locked themselves to the gate. The week before that, four elderly members of the Lost Coast League were arrested at the same location.

Learn more about the conflict in previous Outpost coverage, here. Below is a release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office describing the Wood’s arrest and the arrest of another protester:

Yesterday, June 24, 2019, at about 8:57 a.m., Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Humboldt Redwood Company property in Rio Dell for the report that the company’s private security had taken one person into custody for trespassing approximately 5 miles up Monument Road.

Courtney Lynn Dressler, 26, of Arcata, was arrested and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of trespassing with the intention of obstructing lawful business (PC 602(k)). 

Courtney Dressler and Stanton Wood | HCSO

Today, June 25, 2019, at about 3:43 a.m., Sheriff’s deputies were again dispatched to Humboldt Redwood Company property for the report of approximately 15 protestors blocking the company’s access gate. Additionally, one subject had reportedly locked himself to an excavator on Humboldt Redwood Company property.

Deputies arrived on scene and located multiple protestors in the roadway, in addition to four subjects locked together near the gate. Further into the property, deputies also located the subject locked to the excavator. That subject was identified as Stanton Frederick Wood, 33, of Eureka. Wood was safely removed from the excavator and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of unlawful assembly (PC 407), remaining at the scene of an unlawful assembly after being warned (PC 409)and refusing to leave private property (PC 602(o)).

The Sheriff’s Office will continue to respond to Humboldt Redwood Company as needed if unlawful activity occurs. 

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