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15 Hour Vigil Concludes as Attorney Ed Frey Receives Punishment for 2010 Sleep Protest

by Alex Darocy (alex [at] alexdarocy.com)
In response to the court order that Attorney and Activist Ed Frey must report to the Santa Cruz County Jail on August 8 to begin serving a six month sentence for his part in the Peacecamp2010 sleep protests, community members held an all night vigil for Frey beginning at 6pm on August 7. The Sheriff's department attempted to clear the demonstration, which was held on the Santa Cruz court house steps on Water Street, but community members maintained the vigil over night, with some sleeping on the court house steps to protest anti-sleep laws in addition to the severe sentence Fry received. At exactly 9am on August 8, Frey reported to the county jail, accompanied by a small group of demonstrators, and in a short amount of time he was fitted with an ankle monitor before returning home to begin serving his sentence.
ed-frey-vigil-occupy-santa-cruz-court-house-august-7-2012-1.jpg
Sheriff's deputies woke Ed Frey from sleep on the steps of the Santa Cruz court house on August 7, 2010, when Frey was protesting the City of Santa Cruz sleeping ban as part of the Peacecamp protests. They wound up arresting him for "Illegal Lodging" under California penal code 647 (e), a statute with ties to 19th century slavery laws in the state. Eventually, Fry was sentenced to six months in jail for sleeping that night, and after a denied appeal attempt, in a Santa Cruz court he was forced to report to jail on August 8 by visiting Monterey County Judge Robert Moody. Earlier this week Frey made arrangements to serve the time under work release/house arrest. and he will be able to continue his work as an attorney.

Frey stated he will continue to challenge California's lodging code, arguing it is unconstitutional because it outlaws sleep, a basic human need and right, and also because the legal definition of "lodging" contained within it is too vague.

Participants in the vigil for Frey included homeless activists, members of Occupy Santa Cruz, Occupy Monterey, and Homeless United for Friendship and Freedom (HUFF), in addition to six members of the Santa Cruz Eleven.

At the Vigil's scheduled start time of 6pm on August 7, demonstrators were immediately approached by a an officer from the Santa Cruz Sheriff's department, and those present were told that they would be allowed to use the area of the court house steps on Water Street until 9:30pm, though if anyone did not leave at that time, they would be cited and/or arrested for trespassing. According to a deputy, this decision to "allow" the demonstration to last until 9:30 was made by Lieutenant Robert Pursley, who is one of the leaders of the patrol division.

The new curfew imposed on the area in the last year by the county now lists the official hours of use of the area as 7am to 7pm. After the announcement, a sheriff then sat in his car on Water Street, close to the demonstration, for about 15 minutes before moving across the street to a location slightly further away, where he sat in his vehicle, which was pointed towards the court house, for the duration of another hour and a half at least.

At 7pm, the beat patrol security guards who patrol the government center, as well as San Lorenzo Park, told demonstrators they would have to leave. People informed security that a sheriff had extended the curfew to 9:30, and after some resistance, the security guards eventually left. Two Sheriff's deputies arrived 15 minutes later, and gave another announcement about the 9:30 cut off time, which was met with words of resistance from several demonstrators, prompting the authorities to quickly leave.

Ed Frey arrived a few minutes later carrying a pot of soup, and he was warmly greeted by the crowd. Later when Frey spoke, he thanked everyone for coming out and noted that he did not initiate or organize the vigil for him, but he appreciated it. He didn't speak about Peacecamp2010, or his current struggles against the lodging law; he chose instead to discuss what he views as the problem with democracy today: the inability for citizens to effectively communicate through the system. To combat this, Frey has developed the concept of "Full Spectrum Democracy", which features two principles duties he proposes be required for all office holders. The first duty would require that all communications regarding the operations of the government made by public office holders be made available to citizens as part of an archive of accessible information. The second duty would require, "every elected officeholder to appear on radio and television once every month across the table from a citizen (who’s been chosen by lottery from among all volunteers) for a thirty-minute conversation, and then another thirty-minute conversation with another citizen."

After Frey spoke, demonstrators held an informal discussion about how to conduct the remainder of the evening, and a few other people spoke briefly. When one speaker mentioned it was his 83rd birthday, the group sang "Happy Birthday" to him. As the demonstration continued to grow throughout the evening, it reached a size of about 50 people at its peak.
The sheriff's department kept its promise, returning at 10:15 instead of 9:30, however. Demonstrators were flanked from both sides of the court house by about a dozen deputies. A sheriff's vehicle with six bright spotlights pulled up suddenly from the north end as deputies on foot arrived from the south end. An amplified voice announced that anyone not leaving the court house area would be cited for trespass. Demonstrators quickly began to pack up the various materials they had set up, and the steps area was completely cleared out.

The entire group of demonstrators then lined the sidewalk, and were shouting at the deputies who were then the ones to occupy the court house steps. Individuals had a copy of California's municipal code for trespass, and then proceeded to question the sergeant in charge of the foot patrol what section they would be cited under if they were to return to the steps area of the court house. She responded, "Section 'L'."

The exchange was contentious for a short period of time, with demonstrators outraged that their ability to assemble had been prohibited, but the sergeant eventually thanked the group for cooperating, and all of the deputies left.
Within five minutes, 20 people had returned to the steps and returned to what they were doing before the raid.
The group continued to slightly grow in numbers until after midnight, and the authorities never returned. At 8am, demonstrators reported that six people had slept on the court house steps. The morning crowd continued to grow, and when Ed Frey returned, the group was about 20 people strong. After a few brief announcements, the group was getting ready to accompany Frey to the Santa Cruz County Jail, where he was ordered to report at 9am. As they were about to cross Water Street, Joszeph Schultz, the owner of India Joze restaurant, arrived with freshly made donuts and coffee for everyone, so Frey and the group stayed and ate for a few minutes before setting off again for the jail.

As demonstrators walked Frey to the entrance of the jail they chanted, "Hey hey, ho ho, the sleeping ban has got to go." It took exactly half an hour for the authorities to fit Frey with the house arrest ankle bracelet, and he walked out of the jail with a grocery bag containing the transmitter he was required to plug in at home. Frey briefly said goodbye to the demonstrators, and then he set off for home to begin his sentence.

Frey plans to keep appealing the case, and he said that he is hopeful that it will make it to the Supreme Court.


For more information about Ed Frey, and Full Spectrum Democracy, see:
http://www.fullspectrumdemocracy.org/


Alex Darocy
http://alexdarocy.blogspot.com/
§Ed Frey Speaks to the Group
by Alex Darocy
Copy the code below to embed this movie into a web page:
Frey speaks about Full Spectrum Democracy. Santa Cruz City Council candidate Steve Pleich vows to support Full Spectrum Democracy if elected. Robert Norse speaks about the recent raids on the homeless by the Santa Cruz Police.
§Ed Frey Reports to Jail
by Alex Darocy
Copy the code below to embed this movie into a web page:
§Vigil
by Alex Darocy
ed-frey-vigil-occupy-santa-cruz-courthouse-august-7-2012-4.jpg
§Ed Frey and Diana Wilson
by Alex Darocy
ed-frey-diana-wilson-vigil-occupy-santa-cruz-august-7-2012-5.jpg
Ed Frey, pictured with partner Diana Wilson.
§Vigil
by Alex Darocy
ed-frey-vigil-santa-cruz-august-7-2012-6.jpg
A sheriff watches on as people begin to arrive at the vigil.
§Vigil
by Alex Darocy
lady-liberty-ed-frey-vigil-santa-cruz-august-7-2012-7.jpg
§Santa Cruz: Jailing People for Sleeping!
by Alex Darocy
ed-frey-vigil-santa-cruz-august-7-2012-8.jpg
§Vigil
by Alex Darocy
ed-frey-vigil-occupy-santa-cruz-august-7-2012-9.jpg
§6 Months in Jail for Sleeping?
by Alex Darocy
ed-frey-vigil-santa-cruz-august-7-2012-10.jpg
§Peace Camp
by Alex Darocy
peace-camp-ed-frey-vigil-santa-cruz-august-7-2012-11.jpg
§Vigil
by Alex Darocy
ed-frey-vigil-occupy-santa-cruz-court-house-august-7-2012-12.jpg
§Vigil
by Alex Darocy
ed-frey-vigil-santa-cruz-august-7-2012-13.jpg
§I Heart X
by Alex Darocy
commander-x-ed-frey-vigil-santa-cruz-august-7-2012-14.jpg
Chris Doyon, aka Commander X, was an enthusiastic participant in Peacecamp2010.
§Sheriffs Show up at 10:15
by Alex Darocy
ed-frey-vigil-santa-cruz-sheriff-august-7-2012-15.jpg
§Vigil
by Alex Darocy
ed-frey-vigil-santa-cruz-court-house-sheriff-august-7-2012-16.jpg
§Vigil
by Alex Darocy
ed-frey-vigil-santa-cruz-sheriff-august-7-2012-17.jpg
§Ed Frey, Becky Johnson
by Alex Darocy
ed-frey-becky-johnson-vigil-santa-cruz-sheriff-august-7-2012-18.jpg
Ed Frey and Becky Johnson look over the California municipal code for trespass.
§Vigil
by Alex Darocy
ed-frey-vigil-santa-cruz-sheriff-august-7-2012-19.jpg
§Vigil
by Alex Darocy
ed-frey-vigil-santa-cruz-court-house-sheriff-august-7-2012-20.jpg
§Ed Frey Vigil - 10:40pm, Demonstrators Return
by Alex Darocy
ed-frey-vigil-santa-cruz-court-house-august-7-2012-21.jpg
Ed Frey Vigil - 10:40pm, demonstrators return
§Ed Frey Speaks the Next Morning
by Alex Darocy
free-ed-frey-gary-johnson-vigil-santa-cruz-august-7-2012-22.jpg
Ed Frey Speaks the Next Morning
§Morning Vigil
by Alex Darocy
ed-frey-vigil-santa-cruz-august-7-2012-23.jpg
One of the demonstrators who stayed overnight warms himself with a blanket.
§Ed Rocks
by Alex Darocy
ed-frey-vigil-santa-cruz-august-7-2012-24.jpg
Ed (Frey) Rocks
§Ed Frey and Diana Wilson Walk to the County Jail
by Alex Darocy
ed-frey-vigil-santa-cruz-august-7-2012-25.jpg
Ed Frey and Diana Wilson Walk to the County Jail, followed by demonstrators.
§Ed Frey Emerges from Jail Smiling
by Alex Darocy
ed-frey-vigil-santa-cruz-county-jail-august-7-2012-26.jpg
Ed Frey emerges from the Santa Cruz County Jail smiling and holding a bag containing a transmitter.
§Showing the Group the Ankle bracelet
by Alex Darocy
ed-frey-vigil-santa-cruz-county-jail-august-7-2012-27.jpg
Showing the Group the Ankle bracelet
§Home Arrest Ankle Bracelet
by Alex Darocy
ed-frey-vigil-santa-cruz-august-7-2012-28.jpg
Home Arrest Ankle Bracelet
§Peace Camp 2012 - Register Here
by Alex Darocy
peace-camp-2012-ed-frey-vigil-santa-cruz-august-7-2012-29.jpg
Peace Camp 2012 - Register Here
Add Your Comments

Comments (Hide Comments)
by Denica De Foy
Thank you to all the people who decided to fight for the human right to sleep - or Any of our right§¡
by xfropulopulus
Watch and Share, Frey is a Real American:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_SAb5AfF0M

And here is 2 raw fottage vids:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paGET8ACIwE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inf3cCHVkjY

by E. Goldman
Finally, I got to dance! Thank you!

How can YOU sleep at night when the homeless are roused and "moved along" every hour in this city? We are struggling to move more folks into action from their passive state, build a powerful social movement up from the ground in this country--at least that is the challenge before you, me, and all who care about their fellow human beings. Americans on the whole are lazy and uncaring, don't give a fuck what's going on right in our back yards here, let alone in other countries in our name, whether it is economic oppression of the global poor, destruction of the last sacred forests of the planet, or out and out terror from unmanned drone war machines in the sky. We all need to WAKE UP and stay awake until we dance the revolution into the heart of every person in the world.
by Robert Norse
The latest issue of the monthly Street Spirit newspaper has articles on the Santa Cruz Eleven, which also mention Frey and the general repression of Occupy and homeless activists in Santa Cruz.

See http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/08/05/18718924.php?show_comments=1#18719356 .
by G
If PC2012 happens again, this year, best wishes (I'll probably be pre-incarcerated, hopefully out before PC2013 (and PC2014)).

Nice statue and teepee (I miss blindbear).

Excellent responses to the predictable 602 threats!
by Coral Reef
Listen now:
Copy the code below to embed this audio into a web page:
I submit these interviews I di Aug 8 the morning when Ed turned himself into the jail and received a bracelet.
Respected local attorney Ed Frey was instrumental in PeaceCamp2010. He paid for the port-a-pottie that he
drove to and from the courthouse and later city hall. He blocked deputies as they tried to awake and cite and
arrest sleeping people.
He refused to accept a plea deal and has put his life into fighting against laws that forbid sleeping.

You may view other videos featuring Ed here: subcommondante.com
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