Community News · Santa Cruz County
Lochiel Border Wall Protest Camp Ends After Tree Demolition, Federal Charges Filed
The Lochiel-based protest camp opposing border wall construction disbanded after federal agents removed a tree-sitter and demolished a generations-old cottonwood around Oct. 7-8, 2026. Federal prosecutors have charged one woman with a Class A misdemeanor for allegedly violating a Bureau of Land Management closure order after she attached herself to construction equipment in the tree. Protesters reported 36 total charges during enforcement operations, though CBP declined to confirm arrest numbers and described the activity as mostly peaceful while citing an alleged assault on a federal officer. Contractors continued installing 32-foot border wall panels through the night of Oct. 8 at the site where four cottonwoods had been removed. The protest coalition plans to reconvene next month for a "no borders" event in the Southwest, though no location has been announced.