Protester comes down after spending 36 hours in a tree

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND –- The 19-year-old woman who spent two days up in an evergreen to protest a developer's plans to cut down more than 800 trees came down from her 60-foot platform and ended her demonstration Tuesday night.

“It’s not about me anymore,”said Chiara D'Angelo.

She didn’t want to talk about herself after ending her protest in a tree. She just wanted to thank the dozens of people who turned out to support her.

“I didn’t go up there for those trees. I went up there for this community and their love of those trees.”



Dozens of people turned out Tuesday to support D'Angelo and let developers know that they’re also against the plan to build a mall on High School Road. If the project goes forward, hundreds of trees would have to be cut down.

“Hopefully this is going to make a difference,” said one protester.

Tuesday night, D'Angelo decided to come down rather than risk arrest for trespassing on private land. Her mother was proudly waiting for her.

“I just think community lives and that my daughter had a platform, literally,” said Debra D’Angelo. “She had a platform and that allowed the voice of the people to be heard.”

A city spokesperson said she was glad this protest was able to end peacefully.

“We hope that moving forward, the citizens of Bainbridge Island will continue to be engaged with their city,” says Kellie Stickney. “But perhaps in a more formal manner, like in our upcoming comprehensive plan update.”

Chiara D'Angelo didn’t say if she would attend that meeting on Sept.11. But she says this fight for the trees and the future of her hometown is not over.

“There is more process and we’re all going to be there.”