Oregon Public Broadcasting

State police are cracking down on an anti-logging protest near Reedsport, Oregon. Twenty-three people were arrested Wednesday and state police say they'll make more arrests Thursday.

Four protestors suspended in trees and homemade structures remain at a blockade erected to stop logging on the Elliott State Forest.

Jasmine Zimmer-Stucky with the group Cascadia Rising Tide describes the blockade as a “free state”.

Jasmine Zimmer-Stucky: “People who are locked down, people in the area; all of the direct support and all of our medics, they're all in jail right now and it's just the people who are up in the air that are holding down the free state.”

Those arrested face charges of interfering with an agricultural operation.

They'll be arraigned Thursday afternoon in Roseburg.

Activists say they want to prevent the logging of ancient forests to protect fish and wildlife habitat and prevent global warming.