Feature Archives

Free Skool Santa Cruz celebrated their one year birthday with a potluck and fundraiser on May 14th. FSSC currently needs cash donations, printing services, people to distribute calendars and fliers, locations to hold classes and voice mail. A fifty dollar donation goes a long way. If you think you can help, contact freeskoolsc@riseup.net or 831.335.3109 Read more

see also: Free Skool Summer Quarter deadline coming up

Eyewitness account of the assault and false arrest carried out against Shane (Tammy) Maxfield by Santa Cruz Police Officer Brierly.

I am a witness in the case of Shane (Tammy) Maxfield, case #065-04163. Shane was handcuffed and forced to sit down against the chainlink fence on Pacific Ave/Church for "directing traffic." He was actually helping a friend and another witness, David Bliss jump David's battery to move his van out of the handicapped space.

The officer refused to give me his name and badge number. I begged him twice not to arrest Shane as he is severely ill with AIDS and has just started a dibilitating HIV cocktail of Trevada and Sustiva. He laughed at me and said "That's not gonna happen." I told him Shane might die of stress in jail and he guffawed and shrugged me off.

It was apparent the officer realized he hadn't charged Shane with anything yet as he pulled Shane up by his coat, slammed him against the fence and forced the top of Shane's head to barely touch him. He said: "Now I've got you for battery." This was in full public view of at least 40 witnesses at 1:00pm on April 25th, 2006. Before the sergeant could take stories from witnesses Shane was put in the police car and taken to jail. His arraignment is May 15th, 2006. The jail personnel were sympathetic and thought the whole incident ridiculous. Read more, including a letter sent to City Council

David Zeiger’s Sir! No Sir! is undeniably a gripping story about the suppressed and extensive GI rebellion during the Viet Nam war. In an era where home made and commercial video documentaries abound, this production is also an opportunity to learn the craft of making an exceptional documentary film.

There are reasons Zeiger’s 85 minute film embraced the Del Mar audience of 450 viewers into a state breath-holding silence and surprise eruptions of passionate emotion – amazement, laughter and tears. A powerful story is exquisitely enhanced by an exceptional mix of extensive research, technical and aesthetic excellence, and attention to the minutia of editing that propels suspense and drama.

The availability of recording and editing technology has generated a gush of well-intentioned ideological documentaries that lack potency and are, unfortunately, boring. Talking heads, difficult-to-read archive stills and repetitive clips of marches and raised fists – enough already. It’s time to take the leap and struggle with the craft. Read more

see also: Support the Troops? Support Troop Resistance!

Let's see, where are we? You already know the SCPD was caught spying on the New Years parade planning meetings in private homes for three months late last year. And if you were following it, you know the city council reversed their previous position in late May and agreed to work with the ACLU to limit police power and create a policy that protected peoples' first amendment rights. We even went so far as to provide a draft policy for Santa Cruz based on the first amendment policy of the San Francisco PD.

That's where we left it almost a month ago, trusting that the city council and city managers would make good faith attempts to put a strong policy together with the help of the Northern California ACLU. So what has happened behind the scenes so far? Not a thing. The first meeting with the ACLU was postponed and rescheduled by the city. Then the second meeting was again canceled by the city. In the meantime, the SCPD is still free to infiltrate community and political groups. Read more

May Day 2006 Immigrant Rights Actions for the Central Coast:

Salinas - 15,000+ march
- many East Salinas businesses closed
- largest marches in decades say cops, havn't seen anything like this since Cesar Chavez marches in the 1970's

Bakersfield - 15,000+ march
- cops prevented marchers from leaving the park, arrested peaceful protesters (?)
- 4,000 students skipped school
- closed businesses

Watsonville – 10,000 - 12,000 march
- Pajaro Valley High School shut down to prevent student walkouts
- Half of PVUSD students didn’t go to school
- 'Closed signs were visible at nearly every business in downtown Watsonville."

Santa Cruz - 5,000+ march
- two seperate marches, one started at Beach Flats, other at UCSC - met up at clock tower and marched to San Lorenzo Park
- UCSC entrance(s) shut down in morning by students/workers
- many closed businesses

Seaside - 2,000 march

Reports published on the SC-IMC Newswire: Shout Out to May Day: Unidos Estamos, Nos Quedamos
Audio: Interviews at UCSC || FSRN: Headlines from UCSC and Watsonville || FRSC: Callins from SF, San Jose, Santa Cruz and Watsonville || Interviews from Santa Cruz || Interviews from Watsonville
Photos: early morning at UCSC || Santa Cruz || Beach Flats || Beach Flats and Santa Cruz || UCSC and Santa Cruz || Watsonville || Santa Cruz || Watsonville || UCSC to Park || Campus to Park
Video: Santa Cruz

see also: HR4437 & SR2454: The Deal With the Bills || May Day- Made in America, Forgotten and Remembered

For reports on actions all over the state and nation, see "Gran Paro Americo 2006" on May Day on Indybay's Immigrant Rights page.

Outreach fliers, photos and other media published on SC-IMC before May Day 2006 has been archived as Monterey Bay Area May Day Actions.

On April 24th, Dr. Vandana Shiva, a physicist, ecologist, activist, editor, and author, spoke at UC Santa Cruz. Vandana was born in Dehra Dun, Uttaranchal State, which was formerly a part of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. She participated in the Chipko movement during the 1970s. The movement, whose main participants were women, adopted the tactic of hugging trees to prevent their felling. Read more

Vandana Shiva spoke at UCSC as part of The Education for Sustainable Living Program's Spring 2006 Lecture series.

audio (mp3): Vandana Shiva at UCSC (time: 1:05:24)

see also: Sustainable Farming

Protest song: El Primero de Mayo

The players, coaches and families of La Liga de la Comunidad (Santa Cruz Community Soccer League) encourage you to join a nonviolent march and rally for immigrant rights on Monday, May 1st, International Labor Day, at 12:00 noon. Assemble at Beach Flats Park at Raymond and Liebrant Streets in Santa Cruz. Read more | spanish and english flyer

DIA SIN INMIGRANTE: No Compre! No Trabaje! No Vaya a la Escuela!
Los jugadores, entrenadores, y familias de la Liga de la Comunidad les invitan a participar en la marcha pacifica y mitlin por los derechos de los inmigrantes. El lunes primer de Mayo, a las doce del dia. Reunase en el Parque de los Beach Flats (en la playa). mas informacion | aviador en español y ingles

UCSC students are planning to hold a demonstration in solidarity with campus workers, the Santa Cruz community, the nation, and the working class around the globe. There will be a demonstration at the base of campus at 10:00am and a march at 12 noon. Read more

The Immigrant Rights Coalition of Watsonville will settle for nothing less than full amnesty and legalization for the millions of undocumented workers presently in the United States. March at 1:00pm and vigil at 7:00pm in the Watsonville Plaza, Beach and Main Street. There will be keynote speakers, teatro and music. Read more

In Salinas, people will gather at Closter Park at 10:00am and then march through Salinas ending at Constitution Park near Natividad County Hospital for a rally from 12:00 - 4:00pm. Another march will begin at 4:00pm at Constitution Park, ending with another rally at Constitution Park at 5:30pm. Read more

see also: For May Day and Beyond: White People Step Up for Immigrant Rights! || May Day Special: Worker Songs Vol1 || Pamphlet for MayDay (bilingual) || A Small Taste of Santa Cruz Organizing