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Bainbridge Island tree protester comes down

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, Wash. — The 19-year-old woman who was camped out on in a tree on Bainbridge Island to protest a new development came down Tuesday night.

Chiara D’Angelo spent a day and a half in one of 830 trees slated to be clear cut to make way for a commercial mall anchored by a Key Bank and a Walgreens.  Once on the ground she made brief statements to about 50 supporters.

“Those trees are beautiful,” D’Angelo said.  “But I didn’t go up there for the trees, I went up there for the community and their love of those trees.”

A city spokeswoman said D’Angelo would not be arrested or charged with trespassing, despite numerous threats to do so during the last few days.  The developer also said the project is still moving forward, it was slated to begin Tuesday.

D’Angelo walked away without answering a question about whether or not she made a difference.  However, her mother, Debra D’Angelo, said her daughter had to come down now because the developer threatened to cut off her supplies and ground support.

“The risk became too high,” she said.  “Do we think this is going to get bulldozed? Yes.  Do we hope people show up and protest that? Yep.  We’re not done”

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