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Santa Cruz Indymedia Global Justice & Anti-Capitalism Police State & Prisons

SubRosa Robbed; Refuses to Work With Police

by SubRosa Staff

Wed, Jun 30, 2010 10:31PM

SubRosa chooses to work with the community rather than with police.

From the SubRosa website:

We had a break-in/burglary in the early hours of Sat, June 26. Someone broke a window, took some stuff from the backroom and the money we had in the register, which didn't really amount to much.
It is a bit of an inconvenience for us, but not anything more than that really. A small portion of the SubRosa collective, who were dealing with the aftermath and cleanup, decided that we do not want to pursue charges against the person who was arrested. We see this as another symptom of capitalism--some people have nothing and feel desperate enough to break in to spaces that also, it turns out this time, have nothing. Crimes against property are driven by poverty and desperation. We have no desire for police in our community and will not be working with them in this case, except to recover our property, which they have in their possession.
The person who broke in also broke the window of our friend and neighbor the Bike Church. Our neighbors at the Bike Church are awesome. As is the Hub for Sustainable Transportation, who we sublease our space from. All of these organizations could use your support.

And since choosing to work with the community instead of the police is a big frickin' deal apparently, the corporate news and and police spokesman Zach Friend have to go into overtime to say the sky is falling if you don't let cops into every aspect of your lives. If you choose not to have the punitive arm of the state further ruin some dude's life, you apparently are "actively hindering a criminal investigation."

Sentinel: Subrosa asks burglar not be prosecuted
Fox News: Santa Cruz PD Arrest Burglar, Cafe Won't Press Charges

This has to be the funniest moment in local TV news when Zach Friend is babbling on about community policing and the video is showing the plywood covering the broken window ion which is scrawled a cartoon cow saying SMASH THE STATE NOT OUR WINDOWS.

Add Your Comments

Comments (Hide Comments)

§COPS NOT WELCOME!

by familiarize

Wed, Jun 30, 2010 11:55PM

For reasons unknown, former marine, Iraq-war veteran, current police officer, James Crooker went to the Red and Black worker-owned cafe in south east Portland and ordered coffee. He was given his coffee in a to-go cup and asked to leave due to the fact that cops make many people uncomfortable. This entirely reasonable act done out of concern for the well-being of other patrons has wrinkled the noses of Portland's cop-supporter community. The corporate media has jumped all over this not-very-exciting incident and loonies have been making anonymous threatening comments on blogs and what-not. Now is the time for all of us who have been supported by the Red and Black to show our support and solidarity as our friends and comrades come under attack.

COPS NOT WELCOME! Cafe Owner Bans Police From His Business
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-geofKDngLs

For more information: http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2010/06/4...

§hindrance

by konsider

Thu, Jul 1, 2010 1:59AM

Cops never prevent anything, they always come after the fact.

§don't advertise

by c

Thu, Jul 1, 2010 7:02AM

I wouldn't advertise that so loudly, when you have a peanut gallery of unfriendlies in town who seem to blame half the town's problems on you. They literally are discussing attacking Subrosa in the comments section of the local paper.

Using alternative approaches often is the best idea. When people in my household have called regarding bicycles or items stolen from their car, the dispatcher didn't want to send someone out because they're busy. So it may be most effective to develop a preemptive or defense strategy. But you should have some sort of strategy at least, rather than encouraging every bad person in town to think of you as weak. If a political opponent broke in, I think you should go through the court system.

§Cash in register after closing? Really?

by John Thielking

Thu, Jul 1, 2010 9:30AM

When I had my store in San Jose, I always took the cash out of the drawer at closing and put it in a locked file cabinet behind a locked closet door. You guys are fools for leaving the cash in the register. Really now...

Do the same for the laptop and you shouldn't have a repeat of this incident.

§I commend you

by revolutionNOW

Thu, Jul 1, 2010 11:30AM

My commendations for sticking by your principles!

§anarcho-chumps

by me

Thu, Jul 1, 2010 11:32AM

wow. every criminal-er i mean "victim" of capitalism- now knows that you guys are doormats. Come to Oakland or any other big US city, you guys will last about 5 minutes.

Are anarchists really this naive?

§What do they have to lose?

by revolutionNOW

Thu, Jul 1, 2010 1:37PM

Did you read the article? Or are just trolling for the sake of trolling?

§doormats?

by iliveinoaklandtoo

Fri, Jul 2, 2010 9:46AM

"door mats"? like the one's that say "welcome". but of course. in a relatively low crime place such as santa cruz and with not much to lose, the current security apparatus for Subrosa seems mostly sufficient. maybe some extra bars to physically discourage another robbery might do. but the real security offenders are the cops themselves who can break in with a few pieces of paper. however, the current tactic of the cops and i am sure the FBI seems to be a media smear. the cops and feds have got to be giddy with themselves that their target has been hit (subrosa has been robbed) and they get to look like heroes for it. the cops and feds (same difference) have much harsher intentions. they'd have everybody involved with subrosa locked up and the place shutdown if they had their way. all power to to those who will use any means (practical and spectacular) to resist state control...

§doormats (cont.)

by iliveinoaklnadtoo

Fri, Jul 2, 2010 9:58AM

oh yeah, and the doormat comment. Subrosa is an open space. Resistant to authority, but welcoming to people. it doesn't seem like they are trying to front or act hard. the message i hear, is that property loss is not worth jailing someone. that we have more important things at risk, such as our freedom. Subrosa as an open and welcome community space will continue on basically unnaffected by the loss. But still, it the cops who have their stuff, give it back! That shit's hell of annoying and cops love to get their hands on activist laptops...

§Laptop

by FYI...

Fri, Jul 2, 2010 10:02AM

The laptop was something left by a patron in the lost and found.

§Thank You

by A

Fri, Jul 2, 2010 1:55PM

I wan't to thank the folks at SubRosa for not aiding the police in sending someone to prison for simple theft. People will view this differently surly. But to many like myself, I see it as an act of compassion and a positive example for others to follow. Again, thanks for keeping to what you believe in.

§You Cannot Be Serious

by (Aunt) B

Sun, Jul 4, 2010 7:20PM

"We have no desire for police in our community and will not be working with them in this case, except to recover our property, which they have in their possession."

Please tell me this is a misquote. Do you really not see the hypocrisy here? "Our property"? Seriously? What the hell kind of anarchists are you?

BTW, you either work with the cops or you don't. You don't get to have them save your property from burglars hand it back to you, and then run around chanting anti-establishment slogans. What are you, in 3rd grade?

by Tim Giangiobbe (TimGiangiobbe [at] USA.com)

Sat, Jul 10, 2010 9:40PM

That is a Un Selfish Act.I Have a Hard Time Not wanting some of the Thugs to Pay a Price.But at the Cost of Billions.The Incarceration Rate is Out of Control.Prop 19 is Going to Save the State much grief.Time to Reap the benefits of Cannabis.Imagine Two Non Profits.One Selling OverThe Counter Cannabis and Taking 20 percent off the Top to Fund the Other Non Profit.Both 501C3s will be Eligible for matching Foundation funds.The Charity Non Profit Number 2 can do a Variety of Services to Help aid The Social Ills of Society.We want to Have the 2nd be The Homeless Independence Initiative.What can YOU CREATE ??

For more information: http://HarmReductionCenter@blogspot.com

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