Latest news with #publicoutcry
CBS News
3 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Ann Arbor community reacts after hundreds of peonies destroyed at University of Michigan garden
Vandalism at the W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden at the University of Michigan has caused a public outcry. The beloved plants only bloom for a short time each year, and many of the plants are more than 100 years old. Shortly after 6 a.m. on Sunday, June 1, staff at Nichols Arboretum reported severe damage to roughly 800 plants, which had had their flowers cut off. Once officers with the university's Division of Public Safety and Security arrived, they discovered papers left behind. While no group or organization has been identified or claimed responsibility, one of the papers read in part: "Plant lives don't matter. Human lives do ... Palestinian lives deserve to be cared for more than these flowers." The paper also urged readers to: "Replace your US flag with a Palestinian flag." University of Michigan Division of Public Safety and Security "It's very sad," said community member Teresa Singh. "I'm surprised why it happened and how it's related to the issue that they are protesting." "It broke my heart when I realized what happened — I saw a volunteer here cleaning it up," added community member Della Reese James. Tom Friedlander has been visiting the Peony Garden for 55 years and called it a "world heritage-level peony garden." "We were pretty appalled, of course, as anyone would be who appreciates this amazing resource," said Friedlander. Frankie Mautone was visiting the garden with her young son between appointments at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. "It's devastating," she said. "There are so many people who stay in the hospital for such a long time because of their illness, and this is just a place for them to come to have a little reprieve." The garden is located a short walk from the hospital and next door to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Ann Arbor. Medical staff from the children's and adult hospitals are frequently seen strolling the gardens and sitting on benches during their work breaks. University police said it is "actively investigating this criminal incident and is committed to holding those responsible accountable for their actions." University of Michigan Director of Public Affairs Kay Jarvis also said, in part: "We unequivocally condemn the destruction of property and any act of vandalism on our campus ... We urge all community members to channel their voices through constructive and meaningful dialogue." Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum posted an update on social media Monday, thanking the community for its support and sharing that two-thirds of the plants were unharmed and are set to reach peak bloom in the coming days.
Washington Post
7 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Protests over ‘please walk on me' flag artwork prompt its removal from New Zealand gallery — again
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — A New Zealand flag printed with the words 'please walk on me' and laid on the floor of an art gallery has once again been packed away following public outcry, 30 years after protests forced the removal of the same artwork. The Suter Art Gallery in the city of Nelson said Thursday it had taken down the work by Māori artist Diane Prince due to escalating tensions and safety fears. The episode mirrored an Auckland gallery's removal of the work amid public backlash and complaints to law enforcement in 1995.
The Sun
07-05-2025
- The Sun
Cutting down beloved Sycamore Gap tree was ‘arboreal equivalent of mindless thuggery'
CUTTING down the beloved Sycamore Gap tree was the 'arboreal equivalent of mindless thuggery', a jury has heard. And the two former pals accused of doing it 'weren't the big men they thought they were' when they saw the public outcry, it was said. 3 3 3 Prosecutors said ground worker Daniel Graham, 39, and mechanic Adam Carruthers, 32, had caused 'sadness and anger' across the world by felling the landmark by Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland. They both deny driving from Carlisle during Storm Agnes in September 2023 to cut the tree down with a chainsaw. In his closing speech yesterday, Richard Wright KC reminded jurors that Carruthers said during his evidence it was 'just a tree' and the reaction was 'as if somebody had been murdered'. He added: 'Perhaps that sentiment, that lack of appreciation, actually explains a great deal about these two defendants and about why . . . neither of them is willing to own up to what they have done.' He said the two men were 'in it together from first to last', adding: 'Owning up to this arboreal equivalent of mindless thuggery would make them public enemy No1. 'Neither of them has got the courage to do that.'
Bloomberg
06-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Cape Town's Plan to Hike Municipal Levies Infuriates Homeowners
Plans by the authorities in Cape Town, South Africa's second-biggest city and main tourism hub, to raise municipal levies by as much as 30% from July has sparked a public outcry ahead of next year's local government elections. City Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis argues the increases, which link water and electricity charges to property valuations, are necessary to fund repairs of old water and sewage pipelines and build new ones, and pay for more than 500 additional security officers and cleaning services.
