A decades-old cottonwood tree, revered by activists as a symbol of resistance, was felled to clear space for border wall construction, ending a prolonged protest effort. For over two months, demonstrators maintained a vigil in the tree’s branches near a remote Arizona border site, defying authorities in a high-stakes standoff. The tree, dubbed the "grandmother," became a focal point for land defenders opposing the project’s expansion. The destruction marks the climax of a tense confrontation between protesters and border patrol forces.
Protesters spent months occupying an ancient cottonwood. Then a tense standoff with US border patrol came to a headA 200-year-old cottonwood tree near the US-Mexico border, known as the “grandmother”, has been destroyed to make way for the construction of Donald Trump’s border wall, despite a months-long effort by protesters trying to save it.In late July, land defenders began a tree-sit in the ghost town of Lochiel, Arizona, taking turns occupying a platform high in the tree’s canopy. The group remained there for more than 70 days. Continue reading...
