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Santa Cruz Indymedia - Independent Media Center for the Monterey Bay Area

Santa Cruz Peace Camp 2010 continues at the County Building.

Parade Prosecution: People v. Wes Modes Wes Modes returned to Santa Cruz County Court on July 16th. This high-profile infraction case, claimed by supporters as harassment of Modes, a well-known anarchist activist, stems from his alleged participation in the Last Night DIY New Year's parade on December 31st, 2009, as well as a knowledge that the 2009 parade did not receive a permit. A ruling in the case is expected shortly after August 9th.

According to supporters, the parade infraction is the latest in a series of police harassment that Modes has received since outing police infiltrators in 2005. "Wes is being unjustly targeted for being an outspoken critic of the Santa Cruz Police Department. He's being singled out from a crowd of community organizers, facilitators and participants. It goes completely against the community spirit of this Santa Cruz celebration," said parade participant Grant Wilson.

People v. Wes Modes: Trying to Remove DIY from Santa Cruz

See also: SubRosa Robbed; Refuses to Work With Police | Officers Try to Visit Santa Cruz Anarchist Infoshop SubRosa | Santa Cruz Guerilla Drive-in Screening Shut Down by Police | SubRosa under attack in local media | After 15 Months, Drum Circle Defender Case Resolved | Council votes to continue to do nothing about police spying (again) | Capitola Police Violate Protesters' Freedom of Speech
Nighttime Protest of Santa Cruz Sleeping Ban Continues at County Courthouse Since July 4th, a couple dozen people have been protesting the Santa Cruz Sleeping Ban by camping each night from 8pm - 8am at the County Courthouse. Organizer Ed Frey says that the demonstration aims to "convince local and national government to stop breaching the peace, especially that of peaceful sleepers, and to instead use resources to discourage violence and warfare in all its forms."

Indybay contributor Skidmark Bob spoke with Ed Frey, Robert Norse, and other campers who are participating in the civil disobedience in violation of the City of Santa Cruz Sleeping and Camping Ban, officially known as M.C. 6.36.010.

imc_video.gif4th July 2010 Sleepout/Camping Ban Vigil at S.C. County Bldg. | imc_video.gifSanta Cruz Courthouse Sleepout Day 3 | imc_audio.gifFree the Land on Peace Camp Night 3
New Location Urgently Needed to Host Free Radio's Transmitter Free Radio Santa Cruz has had their transmitter evicted. The landlord has given word to the collective that their transmitter has to go - and soon.

Free Radio Santa Cruz has been on the air for over 15 years, but not without having to move from time to time. This is the downside of being an unlicensed, DIY, pirate radio station. Free Radio is urgently reaching out to the community in search of a secure location on the westside, northside or eastside that has a roof or a tall tree for a transmitting antenna.

Read more | imc_audio.gifAudio PSA
Mon Jul 12 2010 (Updated 07/18/10) Case of the AETA 4 Dismissed "Without Prejudice"
The U.S. District Court in San Jose has thrown out the indictment of four animal rights activists who were charged with violating the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, because the government did not clearly explain what, exactly, the protesters did. The case is not over, however. The government can still re-indict the defendants with an amended bill of particulars that clearly outlines their alleged actions.
On Thursday July 22nd at 6pm at the Louden Nelson Center in Santa Cruz, the Resource Center for Nonviolence & the Palestine Israel Action Committee, will host a Gaza teach-in to discuss solidarity with Palestine, including what happened during the Peace Flotilla. Paul Larudee, a co-founder of the Free Gaza Movement to break the Israeli siege of Gaza, will be one of the featured speakers.
Oscar Grant Rally in Santa Cruz Against Injustice and Police Murder On July 9th, people gathered at the corner of Pacific Ave. and Cooper St. in downtown Santa Cruz to protest against police murder and the unjust verdict in the trial of Johanes Mehserle, and to express solidarity with protesters in Oakland. About two dozen demonstrators held signs and engaged pedestrians. The demonstration drew reactions from tourists, locals, and the police.

imc_video.gifVideo | imc_photo.gifPhotos

See also: Attack on Police Car
Scotts Valley Residents Ask City for Moratorium on Smart Meters On July 7th, a group of Scotts Valley residents alarmed about PG&E’s installation of wireless ‘smart’ meters that use microwave radiation to report one’s electricity and gas usage to the utility took their protest to the Scotts Valley City Council. The new group, Scotts Valley Neighbors Against Smart Meters, is asking the City Council to sign on to moratorium requests to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) by the City of San Francisco and the EMF Safety Network.

Questions continue to be raised about billing accuracy, fire safety, and exposure to electromagnetic radiation. “Just as worrying scientific evidence is beginning to emerge about the health impacts of cell phones and wifi, do we really want to install millions of new sources of this radiation throughout our communities, with very little benefit to the consumer?” asks Joshua Hart, Director of Scotts Valley Neighbors Against Smart Meters. Read more
SubRosa Robbed; Refuses to Work With Police According to Staff of SubRosa, there was a break-in and burglary at their space in downtown Santa Cruz in the early hours of June 26th. Someone broke a window, took some stuff from the backroom and a small amount of money left in the register.

A small portion of the SubRosa collective, who were dealing with the aftermath and cleanup, decided that they do not want to pursue charges against the person who was arrested. SubRosa Staff say, "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." Read more
Reproduce & Revolt: A Workshop with Artist Favianna Rodriguez On Thursday, July 8th at 7pm at 555 Main St. in Watsonville, the Brown Berets are hosting a workshop by acclaimed Bay Area artist and activist Favianna Rodriguez. The Watsonville Brown Berets state, "There has never been a movement for social change without art and visual communications being central to that movement. Graphics are powerful living reminders of struggles for worldwide peace and justice." Favianna will discuss the process of developing art in collaboration with community-based organizations. She will also discuss steps for designing visually engaging posters for social justice campaigns.

Favianna Rodriguez is an artist-entrepreneur who has helped foster resurgence in political arts both locally and internationally. Named by UTNE Magazine as "leading visionary artist and changemaker,” Rodriguez is renown for her cultural media projects dealing with social issues such as war, immigration, and globalization, as well as for her leadership in establishing innovative institutions that promote and engage new audiences in the arts. In 2001, Rodriguez co-founded the EastSide Arts Cultural Center in Oakland. In 2003, she helped established the Taller Tupac Amaru print studio to promote the historical practice of socially-engaged printmaking. In 2009, she co-founded Presente.org, a U.S.-based, nationwide organization dedicated to the political empowerment of Latinos via the internet and mobile messaging.

Read more | imc_photo.gifHidden in Plain Sight: Media Workers for Social Change
Elders Speak at Santa Cruz Indian Council Inter-tribal Gathering On June 26th, the Santa Cruz Indian Council Inter-tribal Gathering took place in Louden Nelson Park. There were many performances by native dancers. Elders spoke about the rich history and plight of Native Americans. There were also many vendors and informational tables.

The Santa Cruz Indian Council (SCIC) is an inter-tribal Non-Profit 501-(c)(3) organization composed of Native American and non-native members in the Central California region. SCIC is dedicated to teaching respect for traditional Native American cultural values.

imc_video.gifimc_photo.gifVideo and Photos: Part 1 and Part 2
Peace On The Streets Hosts A Community Forum Melissa Schott writes, "Peace On The Streets, being a group for only five weeks, was able to organize a community forum that not only discussed the violence on the streets but was able to address the problems our community has been faced with and came up with many solutions. I have never seen such a great crowd where each person cared so much about their surroundings. In little words I would like to admit that I, Melissa Schott, am proud to be one of many in such a progressive group.

"Many Groups such as The Brown Berets and Familia Center joined in to present ways to help solve our issues with violence. We as the community then took our minds together to create a plan for a better future. Not only did the voice of the community get heard, but the voice of students; a voice that is seldom addressed."

imc_photo.gifRead more and view photos
Response to "The Anarchist Profile in Santa Cruz" On May 5th, KION Salinas Channel 46, reported on "The Anarchist Profile in Santa Cruz" promising to go in-depth "to really understand and explain the sub-culture of anarchy we have here in Santa Cruz." In the video, KION reporter Brooke Holmquist tries to connect the May Day property destruction to a "gypsy drum circle" at farmer's market, protests at UCSC and SubRosa Cafe.

imc_video.gifAnarchist Gypsy drum circles are taking over according to KION 46 | Response to "The Anarchist Profile in Santa Cruz"
Neighborhood Watch Gone Wild in Santa Cruz Positive Loiterer writes, "When Take Back Santa Cruz first appeared as a response to a gang-related stabbing of a high school student last year, it seemed reasonable enough. Why not have an organization dedicated to making our community safer, largely through encouraging people to spend more time 'positively loitering' in public spaces? Before long, however, it became clear that TBSC had a fairly narrow vision of what safety means, and from whom Santa Cruz should be taken back.

"For TBSC, homelessness is a problem not for desperate people scraping by on the street, but for the rest of us who are burdened with having to see and occasionally interact with them. Thus their solution is not to work towards building a community with sufficient jobs and housing and mental health services, but to 'clean up' homeless camps in the hopes of pushing them away to someone else’s town. Similarly, their solution to gang violence or any other crime is simply to support the police and prisons; analyzing the causes of crimes, and considering preventative measures are not only not mentioned, but rejected out of hand."

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iCal feed From the Calendar:
9AM Monday Aug 2 Peace Camp 2010
11:30AM Wednesday Aug 11 Forestparty
7PM Saturday Aug 28 Our Other Weapon is a Zine!
12PM Saturday Sep 25 WAMMfest 2010: The Life in Green
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City Circus Back In Town: Sinister Sidewalk Singing Trials Resume Robert Norse (1 comment)
Friday Jul 30th 9:24 AM
PG&E Forces Smart Meters On Scotts Valley Joshua Hart (2 comments)
Tuesday Jul 27th 6:08 PM
Brown Berets Radio segments Watsonville Brown Berets
Tuesday Jul 27th 10:00 AM
PeaceCamp2010 Marches to City Hall Robert Norse (4 comments)
Monday Jul 26th 2:02 PM
Rally Against SB 1070 in Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Immigration Solidarity (1 comment)
Saturday Jul 24th 4:59 PM
City Weakens CPVAW At 7-13 Council Meeting Robert Norse & Gillian Greensite (1 comment)
Friday Jul 23rd 4:28 AM
City Of Scotts Valley To Vote On Smart Meter Moratorium Josh Hart
Wednesday Jul 21st 12:08 PM
People v. Wes Modes: Trying to Remove DIY from Santa Cruz ~Bradley (6 comments)
Sunday Jul 18th 11:14 PM
FRSC: Pirate Radio Report July 2010 with John Anderson Skidmark Bob
Sunday Jul 18th 12:12 AM
New Contact Info for Santa Cruz PeaceCamp 2010 Robert Norse (4 comments)
Saturday Jul 17th 3:45 PM
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