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Cambridge arrests people for planting trees?

By Ron Newman - Apr 15, 2004, 7:34 AM
Post #1 of 8

Last night around 9:15 pm, I was riding a #70 bus headed for Central Square, when I noticed about 25 young people picketing the Cambridge police headquarters on Western Avenue.

After getting off my bus and walking back to Western Avenue, I talked to the picketers. They told me that eight of their friends were inside the police station, having been arrested for "trespassing" on the site of an abandoned Shell gas station at Lafayette Square (Main Street at Mass. Ave.) The "trespassers" were planting trees and flowers in an attempt to beautify the site and turn it into an impromptu park.

Years ago I remember reading that Cambridge had bought this gas station in order to realign streets and create a public park. The city has obviously dragged its feet, and the site has become an eyesore. So why arrest citizens who are trying to do what the city has failed to do?

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Re: Cambridge arrests people for planting trees?

By adamg - Apr 15, 2004, 8:33 AM
Post #2 of 8 [In reply to]

In Reply To

So why arrest citizens who are trying to do what the city has failed to do?

First, I'm shocked. Cambridge?!?

But having said that, We Must Not Have Subversion of the Dominant Paradigm. Assuming the kids were peaceful, it was probably a simple case of a cop seeing trespassing in action, even if the property is the city's, and so, the people's.

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Re: Cambridge arrests people for planting trees?
By so - Apr 15, 2004, 9:14 AM
Post #3 of 8 [In reply to]

kinda like being charged with trespassing if you're looking for your missing daughter:

Missing Woman Searchers Warned About Trespassing
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/3007468/detail.html

makes me think the neighbors have something to hide...

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Re: Cambridge arrests people for planting trees?

By eeka - Apr 15, 2004, 2:04 PM
Post #4 of 8 [In reply to]

Ron, does this surprise you? This is the state where people put up "police take notice" signs. No one cares about anyone's intentions -- you stick your toe on someone else's property in Massachusetts, you should expect to be arrested.

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Re: Cambridge arrests people for planting trees?
By Beso - Apr 15, 2004, 2:13 PM
Post #5 of 8 [In reply to]

In Reply To

Last night around 9:15 pm, I was riding a #70 bus headed for Central Square, when I noticed about 25 young people picketing the Cambridge police headquarters on Western Avenue.

After getting off my bus and walking back to Western Avenue, I talked to the picketers. They told me that eight of their friends were inside the police station, having been arrested for "trespassing" on the site of an abandoned Shell gas station at Lafayette Square (Main Street at Mass. Ave.) The "trespassers" were planting trees and flowers in an attempt to beautify the site and turn it into an impromptu park.

Years ago I remember reading that Cambridge had bought this gas station in order to realign streets and create a public park. The city has obviously dragged its feet, and the site has become an eyesore. So why arrest citizens who are trying to do what the city has failed to do?

Only hugging trees is legal in Cambridge.

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Re: Cambridge arrests people for planting trees?

By Neal - Apr 15, 2004, 4:29 PM
Post #6 of 8 [In reply to]

In Reply To

kinda like being charged with trespassing if you're looking for your missing daughter:

Missing Woman Searchers Warned About Trespassing
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/3007468/detail.html

makes me think the neighbors have something to hide...

My house in NH is about a mile from where she disappeared. Somehow, I'm not surprised that people there react that way. There's a very curmudgeonly attitude that prevails there.

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Re: Cambridge arrests people for planting trees?

By Ron Newman - Apr 22, 2004, 12:03 PM
Post #7 of 8 [In reply to]

Today's Cambridge Chronicle has an article about last Wednesday's Lafayette Square protest and the subsequent arrests.

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Re: Cambridge arrests people for planting trees?

By adamg - Apr 22, 2004, 12:27 PM
Post #8 of 8 [In reply to]

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