darinsullivan.blogspot.com: Riot squad moves in on protesters at fig tree removal

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Officers from the riot squad have been sent in to contain about 100 angry protesters as workers try to remove fig trees in a Newcastle street.
Lord mayor John Tate said residents were furious to see the avenue of 14 fig trees go.
"People are just devastated. There was a lot of tension in the air," Cr Tate said.
"They are hacking limbs off as fast and furious as they can so there's no way back."
Furore over the trees has been dragging on for more than two years, with calls for an independent review into their safety rejected by council, Cr Tate said.
Mr Tate said workers had moved tree removal equipment into the area about 4am today and then began sawing the limbs off the 80-year-old trees just before 6am, accompanied by a "heavy police presence".
"We don't allow the first garbage trucks to start that early," he said.
"These are the sorts of things that really get to people."
Officers including Newcastle police, the operational support group and members of the public order and riot squad, have been sent to Laman Street to "prevent any breaches of the peace or the removal process", a police spokeswoman said.
Greens councillor Michael Osbourne said there were up to 60 police officers as well as security at the removal site.
"There are two layers of steel fencing there and police and security are in between the two layers, with work occurring inside," he said.
"I think the council has underestimated the value of the trees to the community.
"There would be a lot of people that wouldn't have turned up [to the protest] because it's too depressing."
Acting Local Area Commander Trevor Sheils said at a press conference police were present to protect the rights of protesters and workers.
"I'll certainly support the police should they have to take action to stop any violent or disorderly conduct, and that includes the obstruction of people trying to go about their work," acting local area commander Sheils said.
Cr Tate predicted all trees would be removed within a day or two.
The council website states the trees have an "absence of adequate structural support roots".
The removal of the figs marks the end of a two-year battle between the community and Newcastle Council - 31 January 2012.