Police Spray Group Protesting Tree Cuts

Protesters climbed a construction fence and occupied trees scheduled to be cut down Sunday, leading police to use pepper gas to dislodge some of them.

There were 14 arrests, including 12 for trespassing, one for disorderly conduct and one for assault of a police officer.

The old maple trees were among 40 about two blocks west of the downtown mall on the future site of a parking lot, apartment and business complex. All 40 trees were cut down Sunday after the arrests.

The demonstrators claimed the construction project could be modified to spare the trees and that the trees were historic, thus their removal was illegal.

Police spokesman Brian Terrett said 11 people occupied five trees and that some protesters were talked down before the pepper gas was used.