Tree protest is over

11:33am Monday 14th January 2008

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The siege of Bonn Square came to an end today as tree-top protester Gabriel Chamberlain came down from his nest and into the arms of the law.

But while ill health ended his protest to save the last sycamore tree in the city square, his supporters made one last-ditch attempt as the city council's parks team moved in to begin felling.

Activists charged the fenced perimeter around the tree as the chainsaws started up at about 12.30pm, resulting in two men being arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass.

Protesters have been trying to stop the felling of trees before work begins on the £1.5m redevelopment of the square.

The protesters' actions followed the arrest of Chamberlain, 34. He had voluntarily come down at about 11am to end his protest in its 12th day and was arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass.

Tonight, he was still in custody and was understood to have received some medical assessment.

Protester Brian Melling also attempted to stop the tree felling by climbing into a council-owned chipping truck. He was removed by police but not arrested.

The end of the siege came as Judge David Morton Jack granted the city council a possession order at Oxford County Court.

Fellow campaigner and homeless man Brian Melling presented the hearing with a petition which he claimed contained 3,500 signatures from people supporting the protest.

Mr Melling, 43, said: "I claim I have a right to occupy the land. It was gifted to the people of Oxford 30 years ago by the Anglican Church."

But the council's head of planning Michael Crofton-Briggs, said the land was owned by the council and presented the deeds.

Judge Morton Jack also ordered Mr Chamberlain and Mr Melling to pay £276 costs.

Mr Melling said afterwards: "We are going to carry on fighting against the city council despite what has happened here today.

"We have lost the first battle, but we are fighting a war.

"This will continue until every last tree in the Westgate development is gone. We will fight to save every one of them.

"The council has not represented the opinion of the people on this matter. So many people were opposed to this but they have not listened."

Dennis Hambridge, who has been protesting at the square for 12 days, was there when Chamberlain came down.

He said the protester had quit because of ill health.

Mr Hambridge said: "He wasn't very well at all. He was suffering from fatigue because of a lack of food and water and was really tired - he didn't look very good.

"He's done a fantastic job and it's now down to the rest of us to continue the fight.

"There are about 40 more trees that are due to be cut down in this development and we will protest at all of them."

Fellow protester Eddie Beaumont, 50, was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of aggravated trespass after climbing into the tree with Chamberlain.

He said: "The police have told me that I'm not allowed to go within 20 metres of Bonn Square or associate with other protesters in the same area."

Beaumont said he was sleeping rough in the square and had opposed the council's decision to cut down the tree for both environmental reasons and because it was his home.

He added: "I don't know what I'm going to do now, I'm not even sure there is anything we can do for this situation.

"But there are more trees that need to be saved so someone needs to do something."

Oxford City Council leader John Goddard said: "We are pleased that Gabriel has come down from the tree of his own accord. This means we can now continue with the work to transform Bonn Square.

"Following an international design competition the area will be redeveloped, which will see the whole area opened up, making it a much more pleasant place to be.

"There will also be seven semi-mature trees planted to replace the felled trees."

Meanwhile developers denied that two London Plane trees chopped down as part of redevelopment plans for the Westgate area were the wrong trees.

At a meeting of Oxford City Council's environment scrutiny committee, Green Party councillor Nuala Young voiced concerns that two 100-year-old trees cut down in Norfolk Street were felled by accident.

Last Wednesday, Oxfordshire county councillor Deborah Glass Woodin was arrested as tempers flared at the felling of the trees. Two protesters have since had sporadic occupations of a tree there.

After the meeting, Ms Young said: "It makes me feel very angry. We're going to look into the plans and the instructions that were given. They are mature trees and can't be replaced."

Simon Ward for the Westgate Partnership said: "The two trees were not cut down by mistake.

"The two trees in question relate to the diversion of the Trill Mill culvert and associated archaeological works."