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Indybay Feature
Taking Back the Tarmac--Santa Cruz Reclaims People's Parking Lot #4
Police disrupted and dispersed lawful public assemblies of drummers on December 26th, January 2nd, and January 16th. But this time the Community with the help of the Trash Orchestra and Food Not Bombs repeated their victory of January 9th holding the bumbusting Blueshifts at Bay. They were ably assisted by "Jumbogumbo" Joe Schultz's vegan victuals and renewed community outrage against keystone kop kapers cracking down on an accepted weekly tradition--the Farmer's Market Drum Circle!
The community won a victory today in Parking Lot #4, the lot behind Tacqueria Vallarta on Cathcart between Cedar and Pacific. There under the two tall trees the weekly Drum Circle bounced back from last week's police intimidation. Last week cops with ticketbooks dispersed the drummers, Food Not Bombs, and anyone loafing, loitering, or lingering with warnings of $100+ fines.
Today the crowd nervously returned, lured by food. It grew as the Trash Orchestra began to play. Drummers afraid perhaps of losing their instruments slowly joined in. The trumpeteer returned. Even spectateurs began violating the law by standing on the parking lot without visibly "retrieving or parking" a car or bike--to watch a violent police incident arresting a homeless woman. Even after sunset, the triumphant drumming continued and the crowd danced, children cavorted, and Santa Cruz took a deep breath of air from an earlier sweeter era. Police, except for the one incident involving Officer Kline, stayed away, presumably daunted by the potential prospect of giving out dozens of tickets and having to confront some who were willing to "risk arrest".
The City has a new ban on assembling or even lingering in a public parking lot or garage (unless for the express purpose of parking or retrieving a car or bicycle, and then only for 15 minutes). [http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/council/ordinance/2007/17.pdf ] It covers all 20 downtown parking lots as well as all 4 garages, and any new public lots that might be added in the downtown as well as in adjacent districts.
The Drum Circle has met for years, next to the Farmer's Market usually accompanied by Food Not Bombs around 3:30 or 4 PM. It's marked by dancing, juggling, hackeysacking, hugging, chatting, and other activities now forbidden in parking lots and garages all over the downtown in the name of “public safety”.
This afternoon, however, around 3 PM no one sat under the two large trees. Off to the side with their feet on the sidewalk, a thin line of regulars, many of them drummers without their instruments, sat looking downhearted and resentful. Some talked about the dozen tickets that were issued the night before in the rain as police harassed, ticketed, and then reticketed them for “sleeping”. Two confirmed that a police officer had told them the Drum Circle was "dead"; that there would be no more drumming in lot #4.
The week before on January 16th Sgt. Flippo, Officer Auldridge, and three other officers had bullied several dozen drummers away from the area with threats of tickets under the new Parking Lots and Garages Trespass law (I call it the Parking Lot Panic Law) The “warnings” “persuaded” the drummers to abandon their drum circle and move over to Pacific Ave. where a smaller group continued drumming.
This week, Suzanne, a lead drummer vowed, they would take citations if necessary—and then if threatened with arrest, move over to Pacific Avenue. I felt a twinge of frustration, since I thought it would really take the absurd and chilling spectacle of repeated arrests. How else could we generate the publicity necessary to beat back the latest repressive moves of Mayor Ryan Coonerty and City Manager Dick Wilson's anti-homeless, anti-hippie Parking Lot Panic law? The absurdly expanded police power was not something middle-class people would even notice, if selectively enforced.
Even worse, if people decided to restrict their own rights and give up these traditional spaces, (“everyone their own cop!”), this constitutional coup would work like a charm. Ten square blocks of precious public space in the city-owned lots and garages would evaporate as areas of public use. Anyone lingering in a lot could be detained on “reasonable suspicion”, ID-checked, and questioned. Another “useful tool” for the police department as SCPD spinmeister Zack Friend might put it. People would quickly forget what rights they used to have and follow the newest orders from SCPD Police Chief Howard Skerry's Downtown Dicks.
As happened two weeks before, the arrival and involvement of the Trash Orchestra and the presence of video and audio cameras recording seemed to stiffen the resolve of folks there. The actual reoccupation of the drum circle space under the trees was prompted by the arrival of a truck carrying hot vegan soup and (!) slices of tritip steak from master chef and caterer India Joe Schultz.
There was no mainstream media on the scene; Good Times apparently did have a reporter there. I heard afterwards that City on a Hill sent a reporter, though s/he never spoke to me. Indymedia's experienced photographer Bradley was snapping pictures. And I was fumbling with a camcorder in my maiden voyage (hopefully to be posted tomorrow).
Though police were reportedly grouped, if not massed, over by the Metro, only one squad car braved the Drum Circle reinforced by the Trash Orchestra. Officer Kline and a female officer took down “Crazy Mary”, a homeless local who has been documenting ranger misconduct in the Pogonip, police harassment around McDonalds on Ocean St. anti-homeless policies at Finn's Cafe also at Ocean. Officer Kline apparently also collided with the bike cart of another homeless man—Jack. Angry drummers and locals shouting “let her go” surrounded Kline's squad car. Though asked repeatedly what the charges against Mary were, Kline reportedly declined to say (even though Mary was one of the people asking).
He and other police officers, according to Angela, a witness to what she termed a police “hit-and-run”, then refused to take a police report of a hit-and-run, but only agreed to take Jack's “claim”. Angela may be reporting on this story independently.
The final score: Police trash a bike cart, arrest one homeless woman, and make one squadcar sweep through the parking lot. Drummers, soup servers, dancers, and community onlookers retook the parking lot without the hassle of further warnings, overt surveillance, and/or citations. And no rain--in spite of repeated predictions!
Good work, Santa Cruz.
But can so much energy be mustered even once a week? And what about the rest of the time when police have free license to hassle?
It's time to consider other avenues like a systematic campaign of ticketing tourists, demanding police warn and cite up-scale tourists in the lots and garages, and even taking such folks into custody ourselves and presenting them to the police to "sign their citations." Once the Downtown Association and Chamber of Commerce start receiving complaints about this absurd law actually being equally enforced, it will be sent back to the shop for major repairs.
Perhaps a loiter-in in front of the Downtown Association or Coonerty's Bookshop Santa Cruz to identify the heart of the cancer that is pushing these repressive laws?
One parking lot back in the people's hands--at least one afternoon a week. Only 19 more to go! Check out the location of the forbidden lots and garages at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/09/21/18448912.php .
Two tips of the hat to the Tough-toned Trash Orchestra which not only led the Take-Back today, but also rehearsed without crowd backup on the 3rd floor of the River St. parking garage for 2 hours in violation of Coonerty's "roust the riffraff" law.
Today the crowd nervously returned, lured by food. It grew as the Trash Orchestra began to play. Drummers afraid perhaps of losing their instruments slowly joined in. The trumpeteer returned. Even spectateurs began violating the law by standing on the parking lot without visibly "retrieving or parking" a car or bike--to watch a violent police incident arresting a homeless woman. Even after sunset, the triumphant drumming continued and the crowd danced, children cavorted, and Santa Cruz took a deep breath of air from an earlier sweeter era. Police, except for the one incident involving Officer Kline, stayed away, presumably daunted by the potential prospect of giving out dozens of tickets and having to confront some who were willing to "risk arrest".
The City has a new ban on assembling or even lingering in a public parking lot or garage (unless for the express purpose of parking or retrieving a car or bicycle, and then only for 15 minutes). [http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/council/ordinance/2007/17.pdf ] It covers all 20 downtown parking lots as well as all 4 garages, and any new public lots that might be added in the downtown as well as in adjacent districts.
The Drum Circle has met for years, next to the Farmer's Market usually accompanied by Food Not Bombs around 3:30 or 4 PM. It's marked by dancing, juggling, hackeysacking, hugging, chatting, and other activities now forbidden in parking lots and garages all over the downtown in the name of “public safety”.
This afternoon, however, around 3 PM no one sat under the two large trees. Off to the side with their feet on the sidewalk, a thin line of regulars, many of them drummers without their instruments, sat looking downhearted and resentful. Some talked about the dozen tickets that were issued the night before in the rain as police harassed, ticketed, and then reticketed them for “sleeping”. Two confirmed that a police officer had told them the Drum Circle was "dead"; that there would be no more drumming in lot #4.
The week before on January 16th Sgt. Flippo, Officer Auldridge, and three other officers had bullied several dozen drummers away from the area with threats of tickets under the new Parking Lots and Garages Trespass law (I call it the Parking Lot Panic Law) The “warnings” “persuaded” the drummers to abandon their drum circle and move over to Pacific Ave. where a smaller group continued drumming.
This week, Suzanne, a lead drummer vowed, they would take citations if necessary—and then if threatened with arrest, move over to Pacific Avenue. I felt a twinge of frustration, since I thought it would really take the absurd and chilling spectacle of repeated arrests. How else could we generate the publicity necessary to beat back the latest repressive moves of Mayor Ryan Coonerty and City Manager Dick Wilson's anti-homeless, anti-hippie Parking Lot Panic law? The absurdly expanded police power was not something middle-class people would even notice, if selectively enforced.
Even worse, if people decided to restrict their own rights and give up these traditional spaces, (“everyone their own cop!”), this constitutional coup would work like a charm. Ten square blocks of precious public space in the city-owned lots and garages would evaporate as areas of public use. Anyone lingering in a lot could be detained on “reasonable suspicion”, ID-checked, and questioned. Another “useful tool” for the police department as SCPD spinmeister Zack Friend might put it. People would quickly forget what rights they used to have and follow the newest orders from SCPD Police Chief Howard Skerry's Downtown Dicks.
As happened two weeks before, the arrival and involvement of the Trash Orchestra and the presence of video and audio cameras recording seemed to stiffen the resolve of folks there. The actual reoccupation of the drum circle space under the trees was prompted by the arrival of a truck carrying hot vegan soup and (!) slices of tritip steak from master chef and caterer India Joe Schultz.
There was no mainstream media on the scene; Good Times apparently did have a reporter there. I heard afterwards that City on a Hill sent a reporter, though s/he never spoke to me. Indymedia's experienced photographer Bradley was snapping pictures. And I was fumbling with a camcorder in my maiden voyage (hopefully to be posted tomorrow).
Though police were reportedly grouped, if not massed, over by the Metro, only one squad car braved the Drum Circle reinforced by the Trash Orchestra. Officer Kline and a female officer took down “Crazy Mary”, a homeless local who has been documenting ranger misconduct in the Pogonip, police harassment around McDonalds on Ocean St. anti-homeless policies at Finn's Cafe also at Ocean. Officer Kline apparently also collided with the bike cart of another homeless man—Jack. Angry drummers and locals shouting “let her go” surrounded Kline's squad car. Though asked repeatedly what the charges against Mary were, Kline reportedly declined to say (even though Mary was one of the people asking).
He and other police officers, according to Angela, a witness to what she termed a police “hit-and-run”, then refused to take a police report of a hit-and-run, but only agreed to take Jack's “claim”. Angela may be reporting on this story independently.
The final score: Police trash a bike cart, arrest one homeless woman, and make one squadcar sweep through the parking lot. Drummers, soup servers, dancers, and community onlookers retook the parking lot without the hassle of further warnings, overt surveillance, and/or citations. And no rain--in spite of repeated predictions!
Good work, Santa Cruz.
But can so much energy be mustered even once a week? And what about the rest of the time when police have free license to hassle?
It's time to consider other avenues like a systematic campaign of ticketing tourists, demanding police warn and cite up-scale tourists in the lots and garages, and even taking such folks into custody ourselves and presenting them to the police to "sign their citations." Once the Downtown Association and Chamber of Commerce start receiving complaints about this absurd law actually being equally enforced, it will be sent back to the shop for major repairs.
Perhaps a loiter-in in front of the Downtown Association or Coonerty's Bookshop Santa Cruz to identify the heart of the cancer that is pushing these repressive laws?
One parking lot back in the people's hands--at least one afternoon a week. Only 19 more to go! Check out the location of the forbidden lots and garages at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/09/21/18448912.php .
Two tips of the hat to the Tough-toned Trash Orchestra which not only led the Take-Back today, but also rehearsed without crowd backup on the 3rd floor of the River St. parking garage for 2 hours in violation of Coonerty's "roust the riffraff" law.
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After reading that I just want to textualize the feelings I am having right now, primarily a lot of happiness and gladness!
Right on Drummers! I was able to observe (and dine with) the gathered free people for only about half an hour. Because I've been so ill for so long, (bedridden from December 27 until January 18th, and climbing back into "my" body still) it was exhausting just being up and about.
I'm very glad, and grateful, to have picked the right "habitat" to resume my social and physical living! Surely there couldn't have been a better scene for this kind of coming-out. Children were dancing in small groups, between the Food Not Bombs white buckets plus gourmet kettles and bowls of apples, and the growing circle of drummers and trumpetting.
If that circle of people continue to use their collective voices and bodies and votes for the sake of people and culture, the City's control ordinances are bound to follow ultimately. After all, it's "Profits" and Profit's proponents whom they are up against; greed and cluelessness that would still those drums and isolate and (thus) whither poorer and different people.
The various police departments are not INHERENTLY selective. It is a semi-conscious choice of individual officers who (perhaps and generally) forget they are servants to the public as a whole, not just to the lucky and the wealthy (well, that's my opinion). Please don't stop with the parking lots. Shall we learn to look out for each other as brothers and sisters again, as the Drum Circle can do.
Thank you for my Night on the Town, tho' brief. Thank you, too, to SCPD for whatever it is you (mostly) waited for. Let it be a greater justice.
The election news this week is chattering redundantly about Race vs Gender. We all, really, want race equity, gender fairness and completeness, AND justice instead of class-based conflict. It's wrong for the police to practice the greased-palm variety of selective peace-keeping.
The Farmer's Market is generally ill-supported by the City and citizens both, so those spaces have to be "bought" by vendors and farmers. Yet it is a very valuable resource to residents and a special destination for visitors. The seemingly different groups are really in the same boat! Here's a little dream: merging live culture with live food. Downtown merchants who believe Farmers Market and people's Drum Circle doesn't help their fixed-location businesses are prejudiced, kidding themselves, or ignorant.
What has happened to "crazy" Mary? Why?
I'm very glad, and grateful, to have picked the right "habitat" to resume my social and physical living! Surely there couldn't have been a better scene for this kind of coming-out. Children were dancing in small groups, between the Food Not Bombs white buckets plus gourmet kettles and bowls of apples, and the growing circle of drummers and trumpetting.
If that circle of people continue to use their collective voices and bodies and votes for the sake of people and culture, the City's control ordinances are bound to follow ultimately. After all, it's "Profits" and Profit's proponents whom they are up against; greed and cluelessness that would still those drums and isolate and (thus) whither poorer and different people.
The various police departments are not INHERENTLY selective. It is a semi-conscious choice of individual officers who (perhaps and generally) forget they are servants to the public as a whole, not just to the lucky and the wealthy (well, that's my opinion). Please don't stop with the parking lots. Shall we learn to look out for each other as brothers and sisters again, as the Drum Circle can do.
Thank you for my Night on the Town, tho' brief. Thank you, too, to SCPD for whatever it is you (mostly) waited for. Let it be a greater justice.
The election news this week is chattering redundantly about Race vs Gender. We all, really, want race equity, gender fairness and completeness, AND justice instead of class-based conflict. It's wrong for the police to practice the greased-palm variety of selective peace-keeping.
The Farmer's Market is generally ill-supported by the City and citizens both, so those spaces have to be "bought" by vendors and farmers. Yet it is a very valuable resource to residents and a special destination for visitors. The seemingly different groups are really in the same boat! Here's a little dream: merging live culture with live food. Downtown merchants who believe Farmers Market and people's Drum Circle doesn't help their fixed-location businesses are prejudiced, kidding themselves, or ignorant.
What has happened to "crazy" Mary? Why?
Robert says: "She's (Crazy Mary) is being put on the ground.
Video shows:Crazy Mary laying her crazy self down with no prompting or force by the police.
Roberts video shows: A drummer brandishing a hammer.
Roberts video shows: A supporter darting in at the front tire of the cop car. Intent unclear, but appears that he's trying to either screw with the car or convince the cop that he is.
Roberts video shows....why I'm not getting behind this b.s., and why I doubt that the "community will follow", as he optimistically suggests. I suspect "the communtiy" will get behind this about as enthusiastically as they will his pet project Huff..which is virtually not at all.
Video shows:Crazy Mary laying her crazy self down with no prompting or force by the police.
Roberts video shows: A drummer brandishing a hammer.
Roberts video shows: A supporter darting in at the front tire of the cop car. Intent unclear, but appears that he's trying to either screw with the car or convince the cop that he is.
Roberts video shows....why I'm not getting behind this b.s., and why I doubt that the "community will follow", as he optimistically suggests. I suspect "the communtiy" will get behind this about as enthusiastically as they will his pet project Huff..which is virtually not at all.
Great video coverage by HUFF!! Why is the City of Santa Cruz in general and Mayor Ryan Coonerty in particular so intent on removing public space from the public? Its written into the constitution that the people have the right to peaceably assemble. Why can't we peaceably assemble on public property, such as in a parking lot?
The drum circle has been meeting in this area on Farmer's Market Wednesdays for over a decade. The citizens of Santa Cruz have more rights than the merchants, who are allowed to operate businesses here at our leisure. More than the police who we employ to protect us.
The 15-minute law must fall. It can fall by court challenge. It can fall by 4 votes of the City Council. Or it can fall by simply proving to be unenforcible as masses of people willingly and unlawfully serve free soup to hungry people, sing, play musical instruments, hacky-sack, hopscotch, and gather together for conversations, company, and safety.
However, I suspect that this law will fall when some lawyer gets cited while talking too long on his cellphone in his car in a rainstorm. Maybe tommorrow. Its only a matter of time.
SEE HUFF's January 16th coverage of last WED. when police shut down the drum circle by systematically issuing warnings to each person there.
"The Day the Music Died"
Part One
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZYcAlWQYeA&feature=related
Part Two
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D50WK6fnFo
The drum circle has been meeting in this area on Farmer's Market Wednesdays for over a decade. The citizens of Santa Cruz have more rights than the merchants, who are allowed to operate businesses here at our leisure. More than the police who we employ to protect us.
The 15-minute law must fall. It can fall by court challenge. It can fall by 4 votes of the City Council. Or it can fall by simply proving to be unenforcible as masses of people willingly and unlawfully serve free soup to hungry people, sing, play musical instruments, hacky-sack, hopscotch, and gather together for conversations, company, and safety.
However, I suspect that this law will fall when some lawyer gets cited while talking too long on his cellphone in his car in a rainstorm. Maybe tommorrow. Its only a matter of time.
SEE HUFF's January 16th coverage of last WED. when police shut down the drum circle by systematically issuing warnings to each person there.
"The Day the Music Died"
Part One
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZYcAlWQYeA&feature=related
Part Two
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D50WK6fnFo
For more information:
http://www.huffsantacruz.org
The trolls just cant wait for the second part to even appear before they tare into Robert. One, the video was shot by Robert and HUFF. The comments in the posting of the video was mine. The protest was not orchestrated by HUFF. HUFF was simply a supporter and videoed. So if your going to address what happened. Address the numerous protesters and community that showed up in great numbers as the second video shows.
Again I ask. for those who continue to raise issues with people. Why are you for this law? Are you for this law? That would be dialog worthy of exploration. Next you will make front of him for dancing i'm sure, so lets get that out of the way now.
HUFF did not do this. The Trash Orchestra and the community did, like it or not. Robert discussed it on air, but HUFF did not even put a flyer out. Give credit or discredit where its due or undue. As far as the community following, that was my view from what I saw. I believe if people continue to show support the police may cave, or they may very well crack down, well see next week. Either way it was a success in my eyes.
Kids dancing, hugging, people eating and feeding each other and a group of dedicated people coming together, not one person or one organization, but a large fairly diverse crowd. Joe Schultz, Food Not Bombs, the Trash Orchestra, every onlooker was breaking the law. The Drum Circle came back. Officer Kline I have zero respect for from my own runs in's with him regarding this exact law.
Again I ask people to tell us why you support this law instead of personal attacks on a single person or group, posted with fake names. It makes you look childish. Address the issue. You will have plenty of other posts to attack HUFF. Nobody has addressed the issue in dissent in any of the posts I can see, only people. Its childish and a waste of time, and maybe thats your goal. I would hope your goal rises further than personal attacks and addresses the actual issue, using your own name.
Tim Rumford
Humanity for Homeless
Again I ask. for those who continue to raise issues with people. Why are you for this law? Are you for this law? That would be dialog worthy of exploration. Next you will make front of him for dancing i'm sure, so lets get that out of the way now.
HUFF did not do this. The Trash Orchestra and the community did, like it or not. Robert discussed it on air, but HUFF did not even put a flyer out. Give credit or discredit where its due or undue. As far as the community following, that was my view from what I saw. I believe if people continue to show support the police may cave, or they may very well crack down, well see next week. Either way it was a success in my eyes.
Kids dancing, hugging, people eating and feeding each other and a group of dedicated people coming together, not one person or one organization, but a large fairly diverse crowd. Joe Schultz, Food Not Bombs, the Trash Orchestra, every onlooker was breaking the law. The Drum Circle came back. Officer Kline I have zero respect for from my own runs in's with him regarding this exact law.
Again I ask people to tell us why you support this law instead of personal attacks on a single person or group, posted with fake names. It makes you look childish. Address the issue. You will have plenty of other posts to attack HUFF. Nobody has addressed the issue in dissent in any of the posts I can see, only people. Its childish and a waste of time, and maybe thats your goal. I would hope your goal rises further than personal attacks and addresses the actual issue, using your own name.
Tim Rumford
Humanity for Homeless
I was a bystander. I liked what I saw and think this law is silly. What are they thinking? I hope the people coming to the aide of this group doesn't stop until this law is readdressed. In reading the post it seems as if they may come back when there are less in numbers. Its time more people come out not less. When the cops treat people poorly they will get the same. The poor are fed up. There is literately no legal place left for them to sit or simply be. When you squeeze a class of people like that eventually they will revolt. Our City Council is not thinking this out right. Our mayor has much growing up to do it seems.
They are just pushing the problem around using huge resources and waisting our time and money.
All the biz woes facing downtown are not all related to the people, its also the fact that there is little to buy downtown besides food and high priced goods aimed at tourists and a more than a gloomy economy. We are not consumer puppets. Get real and make downtown for all. Remove the traffic all together. Ad a park smack in the middle of pacific, no cars. Return the benches, add more benches and trees, and stop hassling people for sitting, sleeping and being in a parking lot feeding the poor playing drums peacefully. and maybe, you will find people acting better. The only people I saw who were upset by what they heard or saw were the police.
You will find the truth in the faces of the children on the video. Good job! i am part of the community and I will be back.
Patricia Cindle
They are just pushing the problem around using huge resources and waisting our time and money.
All the biz woes facing downtown are not all related to the people, its also the fact that there is little to buy downtown besides food and high priced goods aimed at tourists and a more than a gloomy economy. We are not consumer puppets. Get real and make downtown for all. Remove the traffic all together. Ad a park smack in the middle of pacific, no cars. Return the benches, add more benches and trees, and stop hassling people for sitting, sleeping and being in a parking lot feeding the poor playing drums peacefully. and maybe, you will find people acting better. The only people I saw who were upset by what they heard or saw were the police.
You will find the truth in the faces of the children on the video. Good job! i am part of the community and I will be back.
Patricia Cindle
The hammer you refer to is used as a drum mallet.
... anyway, hammers are not illegal but you seem to have some
other idea. Maybe we should outlaw your ideas.
... anyway, hammers are not illegal but you seem to have some
other idea. Maybe we should outlaw your ideas.
For more information:
http://myspace.com/loveguttermusic
See also "Allegations of Misconduct by Santa Cruz City Police" by Angela Flynn at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/01/24/18474462.php .
Thank you Tim, for the downloading of the incredible historic moment,
"The Beat Goes On"!
The first time time Robert does a video and he lands a perfect moment.
All the work at Free Radio comes together in this moment as all his knowledge and comments about the parking lot law come together
and create a kind of SAFE/HUFF moment.
The spirit of SAFE-not a group,a society for Artistic Freedom and Expression. And the spirit of HUFF, not a just a group of people but a growing community of people, Homeless (and been there done that, now not homeless) United for Friendship and Freedom.
A growing bunch of people who refuse to go away because they can't... the poor, standing up for their rights to BE, to stand on the Ave. or in a parking lot or in a park and not be told to go away.
Tha people who sing and play music and create art and dance and
love and grow and live...in cars,..on the streets and in the buildings in this town.
The Trash Orchestra, our friends, who beat the drum as the cop hauled away a homeless person. Surrounded her and the cop with three drums! Amazing!
What an incredible moment I wept to see us! Our beautiful brothers
and sisters! Some of these people I know by name..people I hug when I see them..my friends! People who dare to be friends,..
dare to hug,..dare to stand up for their rights! I love you all!
"The Beat Goes On"!
The first time time Robert does a video and he lands a perfect moment.
All the work at Free Radio comes together in this moment as all his knowledge and comments about the parking lot law come together
and create a kind of SAFE/HUFF moment.
The spirit of SAFE-not a group,a society for Artistic Freedom and Expression. And the spirit of HUFF, not a just a group of people but a growing community of people, Homeless (and been there done that, now not homeless) United for Friendship and Freedom.
A growing bunch of people who refuse to go away because they can't... the poor, standing up for their rights to BE, to stand on the Ave. or in a parking lot or in a park and not be told to go away.
Tha people who sing and play music and create art and dance and
love and grow and live...in cars,..on the streets and in the buildings in this town.
The Trash Orchestra, our friends, who beat the drum as the cop hauled away a homeless person. Surrounded her and the cop with three drums! Amazing!
What an incredible moment I wept to see us! Our beautiful brothers
and sisters! Some of these people I know by name..people I hug when I see them..my friends! People who dare to be friends,..
dare to hug,..dare to stand up for their rights! I love you all!
12 years ago when the SCPD tried to push Food Not Bombs off of Cooper and Pacific, a resistance movement was borne from something so modest. One of the many spin-offs from that was Free Radio Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz has a very long history of resistance that we are part of. This history reaches all the way back to indigenous people's pitched resistance against the Spanish missionary's attempts to turn them into slaves.
Santa Cruz has a very long history of resistance that we are part of. This history reaches all the way back to indigenous people's pitched resistance against the Spanish missionary's attempts to turn them into slaves.
Uh a link to said Free Radio.
Streaming: http://freakradio.org
Broadcast: 101.1 FM
"The station grew out of an effort of Food Not Bombs, which had grown tired of being misrepresented by the Santa Cruz Sentinel, and, in 1995, decided to launch Pirate Radio as a counteroffensive."
FRSC 10 Year Anniversary Memory Dredge
http://santacruz.indymedia.org/mod/otherpress/display/507
Free Radio Santa Cruz has been on the air for over twelve years without a license. We broadcast 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, in defiance of federal regulations.
We go on the air to protest corporate control of the airwaves, to bring local control and local accountability to our community media, to produce and broadcast a diversity of programs that are simply unavailable on corporate controlled stations. We do not air advertisements, we do not do pledge drives, we do not have sponsors or underwriters.
Streaming: http://freakradio.org
Broadcast: 101.1 FM
"The station grew out of an effort of Food Not Bombs, which had grown tired of being misrepresented by the Santa Cruz Sentinel, and, in 1995, decided to launch Pirate Radio as a counteroffensive."
FRSC 10 Year Anniversary Memory Dredge
http://santacruz.indymedia.org/mod/otherpress/display/507
Free Radio Santa Cruz has been on the air for over twelve years without a license. We broadcast 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, in defiance of federal regulations.
We go on the air to protest corporate control of the airwaves, to bring local control and local accountability to our community media, to produce and broadcast a diversity of programs that are simply unavailable on corporate controlled stations. We do not air advertisements, we do not do pledge drives, we do not have sponsors or underwriters.
This comment was made in modified form on an earlier thread, but it's even more relevant as we consider new strategies to extend and deep community resistance to bad laws and restoration of public space.
Should one or two merchants or farmer's market folks have a "heckler's veto"? The question is whether the drumming or music or assembly is engaging in "unreasonable noise". See "Ordinance on Unreasonable Noise Requires Pretty Loud Volume for Violation" (the eleventh comment down under http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/01/08/18471055.php) for the city's official law on this issue and some suggestions for musicians menaced by police on the "still-open-for-public-assembly-if-the- merchants-and/or-police-don't-complain" public sidewalks.
Some folks not afraid to give their name on this website feel drumming is NOT unreasonable noise:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/01/09/18471162.php?show_comments=1#18471410
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/01/09/18471162.php?show_comments=1#18472427
But giving critics the right to remove people from public spaces because they're offended is a bad idea. And one rejected by the courts in the public spaces remaining to us. Of course, the Roberts' Supreme Court hasn't got its hands on this matter yet.
Should a polite request from one offended secularist, for instance, remove a group of people praying in the parking lot assuming it's not blocking traffic? Or a request to remove a square dance from the empty top of the River St. Parking garage?
Obviously not. Frankly, it's really nobody's business if a group of people is engaging in innocent legal behavior in a parking lot. But Coonerty's Council thinks it's the police department's business, the Superior Court's business, and ultimately the jail's business. Lots of nasty monkey business with the Coonerty Council.
Under the new law, all these activities and even reading a book or changing diapers in your own vehicle are illegal. That the Council was ignorant or arrogant enough to pass such a law means people should passively surrender the First Amendment right to assemble? Apparently the community assembled last week thought not.
Just being there making no sound at all is now against the law. It's not about drummers, it's about any kind of public assembly in a parking lot or garage. Verbotten under the Coonerty Parking Lot Panic Law. Unless and until people stand up for their right to use these public spaces as they've been traditionally used. As we did last week.
Let's do it again.
Should one or two merchants or farmer's market folks have a "heckler's veto"? The question is whether the drumming or music or assembly is engaging in "unreasonable noise". See "Ordinance on Unreasonable Noise Requires Pretty Loud Volume for Violation" (the eleventh comment down under http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/01/08/18471055.php) for the city's official law on this issue and some suggestions for musicians menaced by police on the "still-open-for-public-assembly-if-the- merchants-and/or-police-don't-complain" public sidewalks.
Some folks not afraid to give their name on this website feel drumming is NOT unreasonable noise:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/01/09/18471162.php?show_comments=1#18471410
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/01/09/18471162.php?show_comments=1#18472427
But giving critics the right to remove people from public spaces because they're offended is a bad idea. And one rejected by the courts in the public spaces remaining to us. Of course, the Roberts' Supreme Court hasn't got its hands on this matter yet.
Should a polite request from one offended secularist, for instance, remove a group of people praying in the parking lot assuming it's not blocking traffic? Or a request to remove a square dance from the empty top of the River St. Parking garage?
Obviously not. Frankly, it's really nobody's business if a group of people is engaging in innocent legal behavior in a parking lot. But Coonerty's Council thinks it's the police department's business, the Superior Court's business, and ultimately the jail's business. Lots of nasty monkey business with the Coonerty Council.
Under the new law, all these activities and even reading a book or changing diapers in your own vehicle are illegal. That the Council was ignorant or arrogant enough to pass such a law means people should passively surrender the First Amendment right to assemble? Apparently the community assembled last week thought not.
Just being there making no sound at all is now against the law. It's not about drummers, it's about any kind of public assembly in a parking lot or garage. Verbotten under the Coonerty Parking Lot Panic Law. Unless and until people stand up for their right to use these public spaces as they've been traditionally used. As we did last week.
Let's do it again.
Apologies for the confusion...I didn't realize that your hammer was part of an instrument. The fact that I saw it waving in front of the camera, and then later in photos as you were yelling in the cops face and then again in his car window confused my recognition of it as a musical instrument.
As for outlying my ideas? Go for it. That's the way it works and I support that system. Present your case, convince the majority, and change the rules.
...exactly what happened with the parking lot ordinance.
As for outlying my ideas? Go for it. That's the way it works and I support that system. Present your case, convince the majority, and change the rules.
...exactly what happened with the parking lot ordinance.
Sort of like we did at the elections of 2006, 2004, and 2000. Which is why, of course, we're no longer in Iraq, the writ of habeas corpus is no longer suspended under the Military Commissions Act, there's no torture being practiced, Guantanamo is closed, they aren't wire tapping en masse without a warrant and all is well in the world.
And Ryan Coonerty is a constitutional expert.
The majority in Santa Cruz had no say in this law--which was largely cooked up behind closed doors as special interest legislation for staff and merchants. Sorry, Hammerhead, go back to the Downtown Association and try again.
And Ryan Coonerty is a constitutional expert.
The majority in Santa Cruz had no say in this law--which was largely cooked up behind closed doors as special interest legislation for staff and merchants. Sorry, Hammerhead, go back to the Downtown Association and try again.
IF I HAD A HAMMER WRITES: "That's the way it works and I support that system. Present your case, convince the majority, and change the rules....exactly what happened with the parking lot ordinance."
BECKY: We've been trying to convince the majority of City Council members for two decades now that using the law to economically cleanse Santa Cruz of poor and homeless people is bad public policy. The earlier version of this law was inside all four huge parking structures. During the course of a whole year, not ONE business man or woman was cited for talking for more than 15 minutes on a cellphone in the past year. How credible is that?
That same MAJORITY expanded this draconian 15-minutes then a $225 fine for simply BEING on a huge swath of public property, despite how innocently and benignly, and now STARTS to enforce it by issuing warnings to the drum circle--- a group with a few too many dreadlocks, bare feet, and shaggy beards?
Mr. Hammer, this is a loitering law. Loitering laws have largely been declared unconstitutional as the courts ruled you can't be cited just for BEING there. The ONLY way a law like this can withstand constitutional scrutiny is if the law is:
1. fairly enforced against everybody
2. addresses an important health or safety hazard
This law does neither.
It was designed, enacted, and will be enforced ONLY against the undesirables. And that is undesirables as determined by the Downtown merchants and the police. The former is a tiny special interest group with a disproportionate amount of money and clout, while the latter are our public employees and shouldn't be enacting policies which give themselves more power.
Police presented few stats to show any crime wave in parking lots that justified a crackdown in enforcement to justify the need for such a law that sweeps hundreds of innocent activities into the realm of criminality. Yet the vast majority of business people, shoppers, tourists, and townspeople will never notice the law. The poor, the homeless, the disabled, people of color, youth, and activists are the intended targets of this law.
Just as only homeless people know there is a ban on Sleeping.
I guess thats all right with you. Take away HIS rights, not yours.
That's not how it works.
For when HIS rights are gone, so are yours.
We all need to defend our rights to peaceably assemble, our rights to freedom of speech, and our rights to redress government grievances. This law was passed despite community opposition to benefit Ryan Coonerty's customers at Bookshop Santa Cruz. HUFF has opposed this law at every level of community involvement afforded to us through our system of government. We went to Downtown Commission meetings. We went to City Council meetings. We sent letters. We even did our own research. So now we are left with the option of open defiance of the law and civil disobedience. Its not our first action to oppose this law. Its just the one we are left with.
BECKY: We've been trying to convince the majority of City Council members for two decades now that using the law to economically cleanse Santa Cruz of poor and homeless people is bad public policy. The earlier version of this law was inside all four huge parking structures. During the course of a whole year, not ONE business man or woman was cited for talking for more than 15 minutes on a cellphone in the past year. How credible is that?
That same MAJORITY expanded this draconian 15-minutes then a $225 fine for simply BEING on a huge swath of public property, despite how innocently and benignly, and now STARTS to enforce it by issuing warnings to the drum circle--- a group with a few too many dreadlocks, bare feet, and shaggy beards?
Mr. Hammer, this is a loitering law. Loitering laws have largely been declared unconstitutional as the courts ruled you can't be cited just for BEING there. The ONLY way a law like this can withstand constitutional scrutiny is if the law is:
1. fairly enforced against everybody
2. addresses an important health or safety hazard
This law does neither.
It was designed, enacted, and will be enforced ONLY against the undesirables. And that is undesirables as determined by the Downtown merchants and the police. The former is a tiny special interest group with a disproportionate amount of money and clout, while the latter are our public employees and shouldn't be enacting policies which give themselves more power.
Police presented few stats to show any crime wave in parking lots that justified a crackdown in enforcement to justify the need for such a law that sweeps hundreds of innocent activities into the realm of criminality. Yet the vast majority of business people, shoppers, tourists, and townspeople will never notice the law. The poor, the homeless, the disabled, people of color, youth, and activists are the intended targets of this law.
Just as only homeless people know there is a ban on Sleeping.
I guess thats all right with you. Take away HIS rights, not yours.
That's not how it works.
For when HIS rights are gone, so are yours.
We all need to defend our rights to peaceably assemble, our rights to freedom of speech, and our rights to redress government grievances. This law was passed despite community opposition to benefit Ryan Coonerty's customers at Bookshop Santa Cruz. HUFF has opposed this law at every level of community involvement afforded to us through our system of government. We went to Downtown Commission meetings. We went to City Council meetings. We sent letters. We even did our own research. So now we are left with the option of open defiance of the law and civil disobedience. Its not our first action to oppose this law. Its just the one we are left with.
...and the beat goes on.
I don't see that they've arrested anyone for drumming.
I don't see that they've arrested anyone for drumming.
Without the presence of the Trash orchestra, police have driven away drummers on three previous Wednesdays. Drumming isn't illegal. Being in a parking lot without a vehicle or bicycle is. If Kline announced Mary had an outstanding warrant, he didn't say so. Nor did she report later that there was any charge other than the bogus claim that she was too drunk to take care of herself. She reportedly left jail without a court date--which wouldn't have been the case if there were an outstanding warrant.
Perhaps the anonymous poster has more information? No? I thought not.
Perhaps the anonymous poster has more information? No? I thought not.
That's right drummer-people. Check your rap sheets before heading to Lot 4 on Wednesday. And put away the trusty flask. Even Norse will have trouble concocting a defense for that sort of thing. He's trying, it seems, but let's stay on issue. Drumming. Assembling. Stickin' it to the man!
BECKY WRITES: We've been trying to convince the majority of City Council members for two decades now....
Twenty years!!?? And nothing has been achieved? If you've not accomplished anything in that amount of time do you think it might be wise to try a different tactic? Maybe alter how you go about effecting change?
Have you and Robert ever thought that it just might be your tactics, and the public view of them, that has created some of these new ordinances? It looks like many of the ordinances are in response to the two of you. So in a way it looks as if the two of you are, quite honestly, are making it worse for those you are trying to help.
Twenty years!!?? And nothing has been achieved? If you've not accomplished anything in that amount of time do you think it might be wise to try a different tactic? Maybe alter how you go about effecting change?
Have you and Robert ever thought that it just might be your tactics, and the public view of them, that has created some of these new ordinances? It looks like many of the ordinances are in response to the two of you. So in a way it looks as if the two of you are, quite honestly, are making it worse for those you are trying to help.
Activists have been able to:
1. set up a 3 car exception zone in church parking lots
2. allowed a car in a private driveway for up to three days
3. allowed up to two vehicles per business to park and sleep overnight with the owners permission
4. been able to lower the fine initially from $162 to $62. This has since grown to $94.
5. been able to limit community service to only 8 hours
6. have effectively used the necessity defense in court to get tickets dismissed
7. have gotten the SCPD police chief to issue a report on camping citations every 3 months
to the city council
8. restored the backyard exemption when City Attorney John Barisone accidentally removed it
While all of these changes came about because of activist pressure, HUFF is not nearly satisfied. More is needed. But since 1978 and the City of Santa Cruz first passed the sleeping ban, many other cities across the country have passed sleeping bans--many copying us. These are dark days for the civil rights of homeless people. Sadly, Santa Cruz appears to a source of repressive legislation against poor, disabled, and homeless people. Legislation which is picked up and copied by other cities. It makes no sense at all to blame the activists for the proliferation of anti-homeless laws. Clearly its the legislators who are doing it.
1. set up a 3 car exception zone in church parking lots
2. allowed a car in a private driveway for up to three days
3. allowed up to two vehicles per business to park and sleep overnight with the owners permission
4. been able to lower the fine initially from $162 to $62. This has since grown to $94.
5. been able to limit community service to only 8 hours
6. have effectively used the necessity defense in court to get tickets dismissed
7. have gotten the SCPD police chief to issue a report on camping citations every 3 months
to the city council
8. restored the backyard exemption when City Attorney John Barisone accidentally removed it
While all of these changes came about because of activist pressure, HUFF is not nearly satisfied. More is needed. But since 1978 and the City of Santa Cruz first passed the sleeping ban, many other cities across the country have passed sleeping bans--many copying us. These are dark days for the civil rights of homeless people. Sadly, Santa Cruz appears to a source of repressive legislation against poor, disabled, and homeless people. Legislation which is picked up and copied by other cities. It makes no sense at all to blame the activists for the proliferation of anti-homeless laws. Clearly its the legislators who are doing it.
For more information:
http://www.huffsantacruz.org
Let's think a second here. What other communities have sleeping bans in this area?
Well now, Carmel comes to mind.
There they do not only have a sleeping ban they will also harass you for looking "odd", they will escort you out of town and dump you off in Seaside. In Seaside they will tell you never to come back and that they will be looking out for you. No panhandling, no drum circle, no free expression, no lighting up in a parking lot, no public drinking. The list goes on and on. Talk about a police state!!
Why don't you and Robert help out these people in Carmel who obviously have it MUCH worse off than the folks here in Santa Cruz? Could it be that one of you might suffer financial difficulty if you come too close to Carmel?
I guess it's all in the priorities.
Well now, Carmel comes to mind.
There they do not only have a sleeping ban they will also harass you for looking "odd", they will escort you out of town and dump you off in Seaside. In Seaside they will tell you never to come back and that they will be looking out for you. No panhandling, no drum circle, no free expression, no lighting up in a parking lot, no public drinking. The list goes on and on. Talk about a police state!!
Why don't you and Robert help out these people in Carmel who obviously have it MUCH worse off than the folks here in Santa Cruz? Could it be that one of you might suffer financial difficulty if you come too close to Carmel?
I guess it's all in the priorities.
I dont get it. If these people want to have a little band, why dont they go and bang their drums in somebodys garage? Why public parking lots?
So your point is, you want the homeless to be able to hang out in public parking lots. I am so not for this. The reason Im not is, I HATE it when I get rudely approached in PUBLIC parking lots by people asking me for money. Just last weekend, a man walked up to me while I was walking to my car. Now, I was just getting off of work from my 2nd job. I work a full time job and a part time job. Why, because I have a family to support and I sure aint gonna walk around expecting other hard working people to fill me or my kids bellies. WEll he asked me for money, I told him sorry I didnt have anything. He said what about change in my purse? I said nope. THen he said what about in my car? I said nope again. Then he asked me if I had money in my bank. MY GOODNESS! Now Ill donate money to people that stand outside of stores , but please dont walk up to me with an attitude and a fake story, like I owe you something! Im working 2 jobs!!! Can you get at least 1?
I just read online that teachers in SF have few options for parking and some of their parking lots cost 12 dollars a day. Now, if teachers are paying for parking to go to work and do something productive like TEACH, why do these people on here expect a parking lot to be available to them so they can beat drums?
After watching that first clip, all I can say is WOW. These are grown adults acting like kids in a parking lot. I consider myself young at heart, hell Im only 30 years old. But Ill be dammed if I allow my kids to hang out in a public parking lot making all that noise. So to see a group of adults hanging out in a parking lot during the day like their cutting school is disgusting. Ive been working since I was 17 years old and back then, me and my friends used to hang out in parking lots and parks.. but we knew it was wrong. Then we grew up. Im not sure how these people ended up on the streets but why not try to better your life without expectations from others? Pretty much every one I saw on this video had 2 arms and 2 legs. Why arent they at work like everyone else. Look at all the immigrants that sit in parking lots . THis is a perfect example of lazy Americans. THey want to hang out in parking lots doing a whole lot of nothin, while the mexicans hang out in parking lots looking for work.
Coonerty was in the forefront of opposing an increase in the minimum wage.
Coonerty supports all of the anti-homeless laws of Santa Cruz.
Coonerty does not support rent control.
Coonerty is taking public space away from the people. Space where people enjoyed drumming and the wonderful vegetarian food provided by food not bombs.
Coonerty attacked Tony Madrigal for standing up to the racial profiling of the Santa Cruz Police.
And when someone says, “On a different thread someone noted that continuing this fight in such a glorified fashion could result in the closing of the farmer's market and the withdrawal of permits to sellers.” This sounds a whole lot to me like Ryan Coonerty’s threat to cut medical benefits for his employees if the minimum wage increase was passed.
Ryan Coonerty represents the angry petty capitalists of Santa Cruz who, while they underpay workers and overcharge for rent, blame the homeless and street musicians for the financial troubles their businesses face.
There is nothing about his office forcing Ryan Coonerty to be so regressive. He, with Bush et al, is part of the problem.
Yes to drums!
Yes to public space belonging to the public!
Yes to freedom of assembly!
Yes to Food not Bombs!
No to Ryan Coonerty.
Coonerty supports all of the anti-homeless laws of Santa Cruz.
Coonerty does not support rent control.
Coonerty is taking public space away from the people. Space where people enjoyed drumming and the wonderful vegetarian food provided by food not bombs.
Coonerty attacked Tony Madrigal for standing up to the racial profiling of the Santa Cruz Police.
And when someone says, “On a different thread someone noted that continuing this fight in such a glorified fashion could result in the closing of the farmer's market and the withdrawal of permits to sellers.” This sounds a whole lot to me like Ryan Coonerty’s threat to cut medical benefits for his employees if the minimum wage increase was passed.
Ryan Coonerty represents the angry petty capitalists of Santa Cruz who, while they underpay workers and overcharge for rent, blame the homeless and street musicians for the financial troubles their businesses face.
There is nothing about his office forcing Ryan Coonerty to be so regressive. He, with Bush et al, is part of the problem.
Yes to drums!
Yes to public space belonging to the public!
Yes to freedom of assembly!
Yes to Food not Bombs!
No to Ryan Coonerty.
go to the beach its nicer any ways and thats why you moved here in the first place
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