Update: 'Occupy the Farm' Supporter Arrested Friday at Gill Tract

This story was updated at 10:20 p.m. --Editor's Note

A man was arrested after walking around inside the Gill Tract on Friday afternoon, after he refused to leave the area at the request of a scientist on the site, police said.

Scientist and researcher Damon Lisch said he was working at the Gill Tract on Friday around 4:45 p.m. when he found an Occupy the Farm supporter walking around the research field. 

"He was totally friendly, and just looking around," said Lisch. 

The man was looking at crops planted by activists, as well as , said Lisch, who has been conducting corn research at the Gill Tract for many years.

Lisch said the man was asking about Lisch's corn crops, and that he was very cordial.

Lisch asked the man to leave the area, a fenced research field that's off-limits to the public, and said the man refused.

Lisch said he would have to call police, and the man still refused to leave.

Lisch said, after he called police, he said he would walk the man out of the area and tell police that he had just been walking around, in order to deescalate the situation.

Lisch said he then watched the man hop over the fence onto San Pablo Avenue near a gate south of Marin Avenue, where police then arrested him.

"The fact that he wouldn't leave, clearly he wanted to have a confrontation," said Lisch. "I told him, 'Please leave because I don't want you to get in trouble.' He wouldn't."

Lisch said police asked him to sign a form indicating that it was a citizen's arrest. 

Lt. Eric Tejada of the University of California Police Department confirmed at 10:15 p.m. Friday that police received a report on Friday afternoon that a man had jumped the fence to the Gill Tract, then refused to leave when asked by a researcher. 

Tejada said the man was arrested on suspicion of both trespassing where "No Trespassing" signs are posted, and refusing to leave the area when requested to do so. Both are misdemeanor offenses. 

Tejada said police had not been able to verify the man's identity, and that he had provided out-of-state identification, so he remained in custody as of 10:15 p.m.

Because the violations are misdemeanors, said Tejada, the man could be eligible for release on a citation if he has no warrants or other outstanding violations. 

Lisch said he thought the action was "a way to drum up support" for for Saturday morning.

Activists had planned the rally to protest a private weeding and harvesting event organized by city officials, which originally was scheduled for Saturday morning. The event was , after activists said they planned to show up ready to farm.

Friday, the university and information about how interested people can volunteer to help harvest and care for crops planted at the Gill Tract by Occupy the Farm supporters.

Click the "Keep me posted" button below for an update when we publish future stories on this topic. Read more on Albany Patch about the Gill Tract. 

If there's something in this article you think , or if something else is amiss, call editor Emilie Raguso at 510-459-8325 or email her at albany@patch.com.