ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WWJ) — Two protestors were arrested by police on Monday morning after fastening themselves to a mulcher in an attempt to stop tree removal in an Ann Arbor luxury housing development.
Authorities were first dispatched to the area near 660 Earhart Road just before 7:20 a.m. on Monday after receiving calls about a potential trespassing incident involving two people. Ann Arbor Police Lt. Mike Scherba said to mLive.
According to police, the two protestors had secured themselves to a piece of machinery used to mulch wood to protest landmark trees being cut down to clear an area for luxury homes; they were waiting for several hours before crews showed up to the site.
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One worker turned on the mulcher to try and intimidate the protestors to unlocking themselves and leaving, but the attempt failed and the police were called.
Once on scene, officers were able to remove three other protestors to the other side of the street while setting up a perimeter around the pair locked to the mulcher.
Paramedics were also present to make sure the two protestors were warm - as temperatures were only in the high teens - until firefighters arrived to cut them loose.
Firefighters arrived around 10 a.m. and used saws to break through the metal locks and free the protestors.
Scherba said the pair were arrested on misdemeanor trespassing charges; according to mLive, it remains unclear if the worker who started the mulcher to intimidate the protestors will face any charges.
By 11 a.m., the ordeal was over and the scene cleared.
The protestors were flighting on behalf of a nonprofit organization called “Fight Concord Pines," which aims to defending hundreds of landmark trees due to be cut down in the 30-acre site by land developer Toll Brothers.
"The Toll Brothers development company is planning to demolish an important forest in Ann Arbor to build luxury homes," the group's Facebook page said. "We're defending the forest and demanding affordable housing!"
mLive reported that around 311 native tress out of 447 will be cut down on the development site; another 450 woodland trees will also be removed to make way for the luxury homes which will range from 2,300 to 3,500 square feet a piece.
“These homes are going to cost $750,000 or whatever,” said one protester said to mLive. “There is already a housing crisis going on in Ann Arbor right now. We’re not interested in seeing more housing for rich people and destroying forests to do so.”
The Toll Brothers released a statement on Friday about understanding the protestors complaints, vowing to maintain the preservation of the environment by working with city officials to make sure all ordiances are followed.
“We look forward to creating much-needed new homes for Ann Arbor families in a way that is environmentally responsible, including preserving and replanting hundreds of trees,” the company’s statement reads via mLive.
Ann Arbor City Council Member Jeff Hayner, D-1st Ward was on scene at Monday's altercation and said he sympathized with the protestors.
“They’re expressing themselves in a way that is a little tresspass-y, but what other choice do they have? When you’re faced with cutting 300 landmark trees, the city isn’t doing anything to protect its trees.”
Hayner voted against the development last fall.
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