Nonviolent group protesting snow made of reclaimed water at Snowbowl arrested

Protesters arrested for trespassing and obstructing thoroughfare on Snowbowl Road

Flagstaff, AZ – On Monday,  August 8,  at approximately 5:30 a.m., the Northern Arizona 911 Dispatch Center received word from Snowbowl employees that several protesters had chained themselves across the road to Snowbowl. The protesters were approximately 3.5 miles up the Snowbowl Road and were protesting snow making with reclaimed water.

Nine protesters were chained together across the roadway using chains and pipes and three 55 gallon drums filled with cement. They also had placed logs around them further blocking the road.

Uniformed officers personally advised the protesters they were trespassing and requested them to voluntarily disengage the locking devices. Although the individuals were nonviolent, they refused to respond to the officers’ questions or request. Because the protesters refused to comply with the officers’ requests, public safety personnel carefully cut the chains and devices off and removed the individuals and objects from the roadway. The protesters were cleared by medical personnel before being transported the Coconino County Detention Facility.

Ten individuals were arrested for trespassing and obstructing a public thoroughfare. Those arrested were: Hailey Coles, 21; Nadia Delcallejo, 27; Francisco Habre, 29; James Kennedy, 25; Thomas Lange, 19; Nathan Leach, 27; Rudy Preston, 39; Steven Zavodnyik, 41; Hailey Sherwood, 20; and Jenna Tomasello, 20.  This is the second incident of protesters being arrested for trespassing on Snowbowl property since June 16, 2011.

Multiple agencies including CCSO, Department of Public Safety, Flagstaff Police Department, Summit Fire Department, Guardian Medical, responded to the scene.