Columbia woman who staged 8-day protest in tree acquitted

(AP) — A Columbia woman who sat in a tree for eight days to protest a trail project has been acquitted of trespassing. 

Sutu Forté, was acquitted Thursday after a one-day trial. 

Forté staged the protest in the fall of 2019 in Columbia to try and stop the construction of a concrete Shepard-to-Rollins Trail. 

She spent eight days in an oak tree before she was removed in a firetruck bucket, arrested and charged with trespassing. 

The tree was cut down the same day and the trail opened in 2020.