On November 30th, 2011, during the height of the Occupy movement, more than 100 activists marched down the street in Santa Cruz, one of hundreds of demonstrations taking place throughout the country at the time. At one point, the activists entered a vacant Wells Fargo bank building at 75 River Street – directly across the street from an active Wells Fargo branch – and began a three-day occupation, hoping to turn it into a community center.

Covering the demonstration were photojournalists Bradley Stuart Allen and Alex Darocy of the Indybay Collective, a coalition of independent journalists in the Bay Area. Also covering the demonstration was Shmuel Thaler, a photojournalist from the Santa Cruz Sentinel, the city’s mainstream newspaper.

Bob Lee and Rebekah Young of the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office argued, without any evidence, that Allen and Darocy were "the media arm of the organization; the group’s propagandists," thereby validating Thaler as having been at the occupation as a bona fide journalist. On May 14th, 2012, Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Paul Burdick questioned the inconsistencies in the DA's argument and dismissed all charges against Allen and Darocy.

Read More | ACLU Brief in Support of Motion to Dismiss Charges

Previous Coverage: Demonstration at Wells Fargo in Solidarity with 75 River St. Arrestees || Occupy Santa Cruz Marches to Protest Repression of the Occupy Movement || Indybay Journalists Charged with Felony: Conspiracy to Make Media || Demonstration at Wells Fargo in Santa Cruz: "Drop the Charges! Bust the Banksters!" || ACLU Statement of Support and Petition for "Journalists, Local Press and Activists" || WILPF Condemns Local Law Enforcement and Supports Eleven Local Activists || Judge Burdick Dismisses Charges Against Four of the Santa Cruz Eleven || Occupy Santa Cruz Supports the Santa Cruz Eleven || Demonstrators say, "Bob Lee, Stop Wasting Money! Drop the Charges!" || The California Constitution "Is Broader and More Protective Than the First Amendment"

At least two individuals have been subpoenaed to a federal grand jury that appears to be investigating a fire set at the home of a UC Santa Cruz animal researcher in 2008. There was no claim of responsibility for the fire, and there is no evidence activists were responsible. Nonetheless, the incident became the impetus for the "AETA 4" case, which saw the indictment of four Bay Area activists before charges were dismissed in 2010.

One of the people subpoenaed, José Palafox, said, "I was approached by two FBI agents at the BART Station at 19th and Broadway in Oakland. They asked my name, identified themselves as Carrie and Matt from the FBI, and served me a subpoena to testify before a federal Grand Jury. They informed me that I had been served and left without asking me any other questions….

"I know nothing about the Santa Cruz action but believe this is a political prosecution and part of a government attempt to gather information on activists, specifically involved in the animal rights movement."

In addition to Palafox, at least one other person has been subpoenaed, and another received a visit from the FBI.

Read More | Statement by José Palafox

A Skyline High School senior is dead after Oakland police profiled and opened fire on him. The summary execution of 18-year-old Alan Dwayne Blueford occurred near 90th Avenue and Birch Street in Oakland, early in the morning on Sunday, May 6th. Alan and two friends were standing outside waiting for some female acquaintances to give them a ride. According to Oakland police, two of their officers believed one of the youth was carrying a gun.

It is unclear how this was determined based on their looks. Police say the young men ran, and officer Miguel Masso chased Alan for two blocks before firing three shots, killing him instantly. All three shots struck Alan in the back, and Masso shot himself in the foot as well. The officer was taken to the hospital for treatment, while young Alan was left to lie on the street, his lifeless body staying at the scene of the murder for four hours.

Several marches and demonstrations have been held demanding justice for Alan Blueford since he was killed. On May 12th in front of the Eastmont Mall Police sub station, Alan's cousin spoke of the lies the police told the family immediately after his killing.

Read More | May 12 March and Rally Videos: Rally Demanding Justice for Alan Blueford, Murdered by Oakland Police, East Oakland, CA. | Protest march for Alan Blueford, killed by Oakland Police during a pedestrian stop | The Sorrow of Repetition (On the Murder of Alan Blueford)

On May 4th, community members gathered at the Santa Cruz Courthouse for a press conference and rally to demand District Attorney Bob Lee drop the charges against the Santa Cruz Eleven, who have all been charged with felonies arising from the occupation of a vacant bank building last fall. Organizers of the rally believe the DA should, "re-examine the basis for the charges, and the Court must ensure that these activists are not being selectively prosecuted."

Approximately 100 people were in attendance at the courthouse rally, and after a brief press conference that had seven of the Santa Cruz Eleven introducing themselves, the group marched through downtown Santa Cruz. Those of the Santa Cruz Eleven who spoke included Brent Adams, Franklin Alacantara, Bradley Stuart Allen, Desiree Foster, Gabriella Ripley-Phipps, Grant Wilson, Becky Johnson, and Robert Norse. The Santa Cruz Eleven are either journalists or activists supportive of the Occupy movement.

Read More and View Photos | Photos Part 2 & Video | Photos by Pocho-1 | Support the Santa Cruz Eleven

See Also: ACLU-NC Submits Brief in Support of Indybay's Bradley Stuart Allen and Alex Darocy

Previous Coverage: Demonstration at Wells Fargo in Solidarity with 75 River St. Arrestees || Occupy Santa Cruz Marches to Protest Repression of the Occupy Movement || Indybay Journalists Charged with Felony: Conspiracy to Make Media || Demonstration at Wells Fargo in Santa Cruz: "Drop the Charges! Bust the Banksters!" || ACLU Statement of Support and Petition for "Journalists, Local Press and Activists" || WILPF Condemns Local Law Enforcement and Supports Eleven Local Activists || Judge Burdick Dismisses Charges Against Four of the Santa Cruz Eleven || Occupy Santa Cruz Supports the Santa Cruz Eleven

The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California filed a brief as amicus curiae, on May 3rd, in support of Bradley Stuart Allen and Alex Darocy’s motion to dismiss, pursuant to Penal Code section 995, pending before the Superior Court of California for the County of Santa Cruz.

The 995 motion to dismiss, and a motion to dismiss for selective prosecution, were filed by Allen's attorney, Benjamin Rice, and Darocy's attorney, George Gigarjian.

The ACLU of Northern California concludes, "The prosecution’s theories of liability for conspiracy to trespass and aiding and abetting trespass seek to punish Allen and Darocy for activity they engaged in that is protected by the First Amendment and the liberty of speech clause of the California Constitution. This type of prosecution endangers the freedom of the press by punishing journalists based on the content and viewpoint of the material they publish, by impermissibly burdening newsgathering, and by ultimately restricting the public’s access to newsworthy events. The Court should dismiss the conspiracy charges, as well as any other charges that rest upon an aiding-and-abetting theory of liability."

Read More and Download the Documents

See Also: Indybay Journalists Charged with Felony: Conspiracy to Make Media | Community Members Rally for Charges to Be Dropped Against the Santa Cruz Eleven | Support the Santa Cruz Eleven

Copwatcher reports: Oakland Police claim that they have retrained all their officers in crowd control tactics for the upcoming May 1st general strike. While much is unclear about what will be different, there are things that are sure to be the same. Officers that make up most of Oakland's Police Shootings will continue to be deployed as Tango and QRF (Quick Response Force). OPD Chief Howard Jordan has suggested that he may send specialized units into the crowd for the purpose of making surgical arrests, rather than use lethal force through the deployment of chemical and less than lethal rounds indiscriminately. However, sending teams of Officers that are known for their relationship to violence into large crowds of people is a clear indication that OPD intends to incite panic and chaos rather than develop better methods for interfacing with large groups of people.

Video | ACLU and NLG Ask Oakland Police Department If It Seeks to Abandon Key Protections for Demonstrators

Santa Cruz, CA — DA Bob Lee's prosecution (some say "witchhunt") of eleven activists and alternative media journalists came to a crashing halt on April 25th, as Judge Paul Burdick stopped the preliminary hearing after hearing only two prosecution witnesses.

After listening to Officer William Winston of the SCPD and Det. David Gunter's testimony, Burdick challenged Assistant DA Rebekah Young by saying, "Ms. Young, you agree that none of these four defendants committed any act of vandalism."

Young offered that if there were any questions, she had brought Sgt. Harms and Officer Hedley to court "just in case." Neither could testify, however, since neither officer was on the prosecution's witness list. Burdick ignored her and went on, "I have no evidence in this record that any of these defendants committed any act of vandalism. You are relying on an 'aiding' and 'abetting' theory?"

Read More | Support the Santa Cruz Eleven

Previous Coverage: Demonstration at Wells Fargo in Solidarity with 75 River St. Arrestees || Occupy Santa Cruz Marches to Protest Repression of the Occupy Movement || Indybay Journalists Charged with Felony: Conspiracy to Make Media || Demonstration at Wells Fargo in Santa Cruz: "Drop the Charges! Bust the Banksters!" || ACLU Statement of Support and Petition for "Journalists, Local Press and Activists" || WILPF Condemns Local Law Enforcement and Supports Eleven Local Activists