Universal has allegedly recently cut down trees that had given shade to the SAG-AFTRA protestors. According to CNN, the Los Angeles City Controller’s office has released an investigation after NBCUniversal drastically trimmed down a whole row of trees that were planted outside the studios where the SAG-AFTRA members were striking and picketing the company executives.

The news comes amidst a scorching heatwave. LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia posted on Twitter that, “Trees are essential to providing Angelenos with significant environmental and public health benefits, especially during a heatwave.”

Our Office is investigating the tree trimming that occurred outside Universal Studios where workers, writers, and actors are exercising their right to picket.

The trimmed trees are LA City managed street trees.

(Before and after photos below) pic.twitter.com/xczw0bTdh9

— LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia (@lacontroller) July 19, 2023

The week before, the 160,000 actors and media personalities from SAG-AFTRA joined with the 11,000 Writers Guild of America members who have been striking and picketing since the month of May due to the collapse of agreements between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and the union.

Even though both strikes are still continuing, the heat wave has reached many parts of the country including both the strikes. Strike organizers urge any participating protestors to use sunscreen and stay hydrated during this time. SAG-AFTRA cut short their picketing at Warner Bros. and Disney earlier this week due to “extreme heat in LA.” Hence the tree trimming by Universal has struck a nerve with some picketers, one being comedian Chris Stephens who posted a picture of the bare trees saying, “Quick shoutout to the good people at @UniversalPics for trimming the trees that gave our picket line shade right before a 90+ degree week.”

NBCUniversal has denied any malicious intent behind the tree trimming and stated that, “We understand that the safety tree trimming of the Ficus trees we did on Barham Blvd. has created unintended challenges for demonstrators, that was not our intention In partnership with licensed arborists, we have pruned these trees annually at this time of year to ensure that the canopies are light ahead of the high wind season.”