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Santa Cruz Indymedia | Arts + ActionAnd the Beat Goes On at the Cathcart Parking Lot
Most people consider saxophonists, drummers, sitarists, tambourinists, guitarists and other musicians in a drum circle alongside the weekly Farmers Market to be an enjoyable aspect of the downtown Santa Cruz cultural mix, however some people interpret this musical gathering as a noisy disruption to their marketing experience.  support-drummers_1-9-08.jpg For more information on the parking lot law and drum circles during the Santa Cruz Farmers Market, see:
'Parking Lot Panic Law' Used to Disperse Drummers in Santa Cruz http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/01/08/18471154.php
§Shake It
 shake-it_1-9-08.jpg  cowbell_1-9-08.jpg  drum-circle_1-9-08.jpg  observation_1-9-08.jpg  saxophone_1-9-08.jpg  tyke_1-9-08.jpg People of all ages played music and had a good time.
 drumsticks_1-9-08.jpg  pasta_1-9-08.jpg Customers at the Farmers Market purchase fresh pasta as drums resonate in the distance.
 cars_1-9-08.jpg There was plenty of room for drivers to enter, exit and park their cars in the Cathcart Parking Lot.
 incense_1-9-08.jpg  customer_1-9-08.jpg A customer of the Farmers Market takes time to enjoy the eclectic sounds.
Comments (Hide Comments)
Sunday Jan 13th, 2008 7:16 PM
HUFF has been tracking the 15-minute law since the police first brought it to the Downtown Commission. The ordinance is most clearly used as an anti-homeless ordinance as it was crafted to resolve the "problem" of a few homeless people going into huge, empty parking garages late at night during the rains. In 2006, all four enclosed parking garages were turned into 15-minute zones.
HUFF went on record opposing passage of this law. HUFF sought out the ACLU to weigh in on this loss of public space HUFF went to the Downtown Commission last spring to oppose the 15-minute law being expanded to all downtown surface lots. HUFF opposed and publicized the passage of the 15-minute law in November of 2007, enthusiastically pushed by Mayor Ryan Coonerty who says that its okay because "parking lots are not a public forum." Now HUFF is documenting the social cleansing of the Food Not Bombs feeding and drum circle on Farmer's Market Wednesdays. If you want to help us try to stop this stuff from getting enacted in the first place, instead of trying to get an ordinance repealed or declared unconstitutional after the fact, please come to HUFF meetings. We meet every WED. in the American Cafe in the basement of the County Bldg. between 9:30AM and 11:30AM. Free coffee if you are homeless.
Monday Jan 14th, 2008 6:34 PM
Just wanted to say thanks Bradley for keeping this issue in the forefront. It's so important and your doing a great job. Keep up the good work. Could you e-mail me you flyer pictured on the tree. I would like to post it on my Blog. If you wish to write a post on this issue for my Blog, your welcome to as well.
This law can only, as you know -- be selectively enforced, as all the laws aimed at the poor are. Public property is public property. Slowly they are taking away the commons from the common folk. By continuing to show up and play music in numbers, your all fighting back. Keep up the good work and the posts. The demons will always come out to vilify you (normally) anonymously) for standing up, it just means your having an impact. In appreciation Tim Rumford |