Armed Border Agents Arrest Protesters, Bulldoze 200-Year-Old Tree to Build Border Wall
Despite at least 10 arrests and the destruction of the tree at the center of the protest, the standoff continues. The post Armed Border Agents Arrest Protesters, Bulldoze 200-Year-Old Tree to Build Border Wall appeared first on The Intercept .
On October 5, 2026, armed federal agents stormed a protest encampment near the U.S.-Mexico border, arresting at least 10 activists and destroying a 200-year-old cottonwood tree. The tree, known as the grandmother tree, had been occupied by protesters for weeks as they sought to stop President Donald Trump's $50 billion border wall project.
The tree was one of four ancient grandmother trees in the area, all of which were slated for demolition to make way for the border wall. The riotous destruction of the tree occurred while a protest was taking place, with many screaming as it was felled. Since the raid, around 50 people have been holding a standoff with federal agents, refusing to leave.
The region is known for its unique wildlife migration corridor and activists aim to halt the construction of two parallel 30-foot-high border walls. Despite the raid, federal agents continued construction, digging a trench that threatens the roots of a newly occupied cottonwood on the Mexico side.
Written by urgent.news from The Intercept's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
