It is my understanding that FNB makes decisions by consensus. They have yet to conduct their meeting for the week. I find it problematic that Norse is creating a calendar item for them without respect for their process.

It seems that he is trying to provoke a conflict with authorities (and his allies) by telling the community what he wants to see happen, which could create confusion--enough so that he has already felt the need to clarify himself. It also seems that he sees himself as an "expert" on the history of FNB whose opinion should be taken with greater weight than others' (a behavior which he pointedly decried last week on his radio show.)

The effort of the Santa Cruz FNB to serve the people is an inspiration to us out here in the Northbay.
Advocating for and feeding the homeless is about Human Rights, which Santa Cruz seems to not recognize, placing their plutocracy in the realm of fascist regimes in Latin America with their treatment of lower-class folks.
Thank you to Robert, the author of this posting, for diligently posting updates about this struggle. Without him, our Northbay Uprising radio show wouldn't know what is happening, let alone report on it to our audience.
And much support to the HUFF for their endorsement of the Santa Cruz FNB campaign.

I consulted with several FNB activists before posting the calendar event. They advised me that they'd be at the Post Office today. I hope you will too.

The meal was served on the sidewalk--peanut-sauce laden tofu, salad, peace pie, snacks, and other goodies. The turnout was lower than last week--perhaps because it was the beginning of the month and folks had more money to get food independently. Perhaps because there was less "excitement" in terms of visible police harassment.

I didn't see any cops. HUFF set up a table and made available literature about the proposed Homeless Bill of Rights as well as last month's Street Spirit.

It was a mellow scene.

Occupy Santa Cruz voted to move its next General Assembly to Saturday at 5 PM during and after the Food Not Bombs meal at the post office.

Food Not Bombs activists attended the Sunday Occupy meeting today and sounded happy.

See you next week most likely.

While I wasn't there, reports I got the next day for my radio show from two who were there noted that the meal proceeded successfully on the sidewalk--a bit closer to the Front & Mission intersection (to provide more room on a broader area of the sidewalk). The turnout was reportedly smaller, and I got no reports of police or postal inspectors interfering.

Additionally Occupy Santa Cruz met on the post office steps at its new weekly meeting time of 5 PM each Saturday--with no reported interference.

As long as the weather is sunny and warm (and not rainy and/or cold), the sidewalk area may actually be better by being more visible. However, the principle of outdoor public areas being accessible to both charitable and political activity is an important one that was blatantly violated here, with the collusion of the Santa Cruz Police Department.

Just as parks, the City Hall complex, the library, the levee, and the County Courthouse complex are now "forbidden" zones at night (even for completely lawful political assembly), so now the federal post office is now a "no go".

Prior food servings have also been targeted downtown (Dennis Adams of The Potters Hand meal across the street at the Town Clock was driven away by SCPD harassment after being harried all around town; Ronee Curry faced disapproval from Mayor Coonerty and her clients police harassment within the last few years on several occasions; Father Joel Miller faced a relentless campaign from Councilmember Cynthia Matthews for his Monday Calvary Episcopal meal--see http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/12/24/18667496.php).

The determination of the community to support continued access to public spaces is really the only safeguard we have.