Earth First! Action Camp & Gypsy Memorial Free State

Join the action camp and help occupy the logging road to keep Pacific Lumber out of THP 172, guard the crime scene and stop the logging!

Directions: Highway 101 to Hwy 36. 18 miles to Grizzzly Creek State Camp ground where you check in for orientation.
Then travel 1/2 mile more to the vigil.
 
 

September 20, 1998

Dear Friends,

We are appealing to you to take any of the following actions during this painful but crucial time. When David "Gypsy" Chain was killed on September 17 the movement lost a courageous and passionate warrior. Gypsy fought hard for the Earth and his spirit lives on in our nonviolent direct action to preserve the last unprotected ancient forest ecosystems of Humboldt County, CA. His death was NOT an accident- it is a jarring awakening for all of us that violence is escalating against nonviolent activists everywhere. If this horrific killing is not challenged, more of us are surely to be hurt and our ability to stop the destruction of the Earth will be greatly impaired.
 
MAXXAM/Pacific Lumber Co. and the Humboldt County Sheriffs must be held accountable; for the death of David "Gypsy" Chain; for the destruction of the world's last unprotected ancient redwood forests; and for violence towards nonviolent activists everywhere as they encourage extremely violent acts against Earth First!ers in Humboldt County.
 
We must put pressure on Humboldt District Attorney Terry Farmer and Sheriff Dennis Lewis to file charges against Pacific Lumber Co. and the logger who felled the tree that killed David Chain. We must put pressure on the California Department of Forestry calling to revoke Pacific Lumber's timber operators license for gross negligence. And, we must put pressure on MAXXAM/Pacific Lumber Co. to cease logging operations in Timber Harvest Plan 97-172 near Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park where David Chain was killed.
 
We are demanding that a thorough independent investigation be conducted. This will require NO disruption of the crime scene and currently the only one guarding the crime scene is Earth First! At dawn on September 18, the day after Gypsy was killed, 50 activists repelled logging crews and trucks intent on working there. It is obvious there is NO serious investigation occuring and the crime scene is sure to be destroyed unless political pressure forces one. We must take action or we will loose the evidence which will be the cornerstone of our work to have MAXXAM/Pacific Lumber Co. and the Humboldt County Sheriffs held accountable for this violence and set the example that we will not be killed freely for our activism.

So, please find the strength to do what you can.

• Organize protests, rallies, marches press conferences or vigils.
• Issue press releases and solidarity statements to the media.
• Write letters to the editor for newspapers.
• Speak out on free-radio and community radio stations.
• Jam the fax machines, phone lines, e-mail boxes and web sites of Humboldt District Attorney Terry Farmer, Sheriff Dennis Lewis, California Department of Forestry and MAXXAM/Pacific Lumber Co. with urgent appeals.
• Come to Humboldt and join the resistance!
• Support ongoing direct action by sending donations to Northcoast Earth First! at POB 28, Arcata, CA 95518; (707) 825-6598; ncef@humboldt1.com.

• Humboldt County District Attorney Terry Farmer at (707) 445-7411.
• Sheriff Dennis Lewis at (707) 445-7251; fax (707) 445-7298.
• California Department of Forestry (707) 963-3601.
• Pacific Lumber Co. (707) 764-4200; fax (707) 764-4171.

For a future wild, free and just,

NorthCoast Earth First!
 

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