Feature Archives

Key documents from the ACLU Public Records Act request are available in pdf form.

In response to an ACLU Public Records Act request, the Santa Cruz Police Department has produced over 200 pages relating to their undercover infiltration of a peaceful New's Year's parade group known as Last Night Santa Cruz. Though the documents produced were incomplete in relation to the Public Records Act request, they portray a department with little concern for the privacy rights of peaceful community members and a seeming disdain for the use of diplomacy as an investigation technique. Read more

see also: SCPD Police Spying Scandal - deputy chief leads investigation

For more information on the Santa Cruz Police Department spying on peaceful community groups, see previous SC-IMC coverage: Council votes to continue to do nothing about spying (again) || "Just Us" Action Against SCPD Spying || Police Infiltrate Peaceful Parade Organizers

Our 2006 convening and connected activities focused on HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness for a population often overlooked and/or ignored in health policy for Latinas. There exists a growing prevalence of HIV/AIDS among women in highly mobile migrant communities on both sides of the border. This challenges us to bring a broad based coalition to the table, acknowledging that solutions locally must respond to transnational factors.

The convening took place on February 2nd and featured three of the most important leaders on health policy for Latinas. Xóchitl Castañeda of the California-Mexico Health Initiative offered a perspective on the relationship between Mexican migration and HIV/AIDS transmission for women on both sides of the border. Barbara Garcia, Deputy Director of Health for San Francisco, spoke on health services and the role of Latino/a-serving agencies, drawing on her previous work as Director of Salud Para La Gente in the Pajaro Valley. Juanita Quintero, of UCSF offered a regional perspective on her work with Latina health in San Francisco.

SAN FRANCISCO -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU-NC) today filed a federal Freedom of Information Act request on behalf of UC students and groups whose lawful activities may have been monitored by the Pentagon. The move is part of a national ACLU effort to reveal the extent and purpose of Pentagon spying.

“Students should be able to freely express themselves on campus without fear of ending up in a military database,” said Mark Schlosberg, Police Practices Policy Director of the ACLU-NC. “The Department of Defense should act quickly and disclose all information it has collected on these student organizations and their members.”

The ACLU of Northern California and the San Francisco Bay Guardian filed its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request on behalf of UC Santa Cruz Students Against War (“SAW”) and UC Berkeley students with Berkeley Stop the War Coalition (“BSTW”). The ACLU is seeking the disclosure of all documents maintained by the Department of Defense on the individuals and groups, as well as information on whether the records have been shared with other government agencies.

The national ACLU filed a similar FOIA request on behalf of the American Friends Service Committee, Veterans for Peace, United for Peace and Justice and Greenpeace. In Georgia, Rhode Island, Maine, and Pennsylvania ACLU affiliates are also seeking Pentagon files on local groups. Read more...

previous coverage: UC Students Demand Answers about Spying Scandal || Students Denounce Pentagon Surveillance of Counter-Recruitment Activities

The World Social Forum (or Foro Social Mundial, FSM) in Caracas, Venezuela began Tuesday 24 of January with a march of delegations and participants from all over the world. Various workshops, lectures and discussions are being held between 24 January and 29 January to collaborate and educate each other about social movements maintaining a world based on peace and justice. Rather than provide a summative article on the forum, this article will provide calls to action and resources for you or your organization to help build coalitions between the global south and global north. Foremost, this article will provide websites and contacts for action to ensure fair trade in Central America and Latin America.

While the US government and Central American governments (except Costa Rica) have agreed to “Free Trade” Agreements, a strong coalition of people in these countries continue to resist these agreements because of how these agreements will affect our daily lives. Movements based throughout the Americas work together to resist economic oppression and ensure fair trade and fair standards of living. The resources exist for us to collaborate, empower, cultivate fair trade and maintain a just and peaceful community of the Americas. Read more about Building Coalitions for Fair Trade!

Audio: FRSC: Interview from Caracas

see also: In the FSM Peace Collaborations Continue || Read more and view photos on Indybay's Americas Page

We buy their tomatoes, but who are they? What stories do small-scale sustainable farmers have to tell, and why does it matter? Santa Cruz author, Jenny Kurzweil began writing "Fields That Dream: Journey to the Roots of Our Food" six years ago because she felt the disconnect between herself and her food. She didn't have an agent, publisher or MFA, but she plowed ahead anyway.

The book is a thoroughly researched introduction to small-scale sustainable farming, and a fantastic read.

Kaci Elder interviewd Jenny Kurzweil about topics ranging from her inspiration for writing the book, to reconnecting to the land and the roles of race and class in food and sustainable agriculture.

Read more on Indybay's Environment Page

Santa Cruz, CA - Members of Students Against War (SAW) met with the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) Chancellor Denice Denton and other senior officials Tuesday to discuss the Pentagon spying scandal and the future of free speech on the UCSC campus.

In December of 2005, a 400-page document obtained by MSNBC revealed, amongst many things, that the Pentagon spied on 10 peaceful college protests. UC Santa Cruz’s counter-recruitment protest of April 5, 2005, organized by SAW, was the only one of these ‘incidents’ labeled both “credible” and a “threat.” It was also the only college-related ‘incident’ to be spied on by the Army’s 902nd Military Intelligence Group.

In the Tuesday meeting between students and administrators, the foremost of the concerns addressed was the possible university involvement in undercover surveillance of student activities. SAW presented the administrators with a 34-page document detailing many of the suspected incidents of covert surveillance, intimidation and first amendment violations that students had experienced on campus in the past year. Incidents ranged from police infiltration of protests and meetings to students being singled out due to their political activity. To verify these allegations, students proposed that the UCSC Administration conduct an internal investigation of campus and local officials that may have been divulging students’ personal information or releasing information on political activity to local or federal authorities. The students also sought the support of the administration in any follow-up actions.

Furthermore, SAW reiterated a request for the Administration to join the Forum for Academic and Institutional Rights (FAIR), currently involved in the FAIR v. Rumsfeld case, which would overturn the controversial Solomon Amendment – a law that limits the University’s ability to prevent discrimination by mandating military recruitment on campus at the risk of losing federal funding. By limiting Universities’ options, the law restricts important 1st Amendment rights.

Chancellor Denton promised to follow up on all the issues presented, which SAW members pledged to ensure.

“UC Santa Cruz has long been a bastion of freedom of speech and campus activism and we are hopeful that the administration will do everything in their power to keep it that way,“ said second-year student, Kot Hordyński, who was present at the meeting.

previous coverage: Students Denounce Pentagon Surveillance of Counter-Recruitment Activities

the policeman spies
while the council does nothing
a winter leaf falls in the breeze

There was a motion before the city council proposed by councilmember Tony Madrigal to request an independent investigation into police spying. The council perhaps signalled it's intentions by placing the motion on the afternoon agenda of their regularly scheduled Tuesday meeting, rather than the more well-attended evening agenda.

There were a good many public speakers raising issues with the police internal audit and calling for the independent investigation. Additionally, people called for full disclosure of any past spying and for a strong binding ordinance limiting police powers to monitor political and community groups.

The public records contain emails that show that most everyone in the police department management from Chief Howard Skerry to Deputy Chief Kevin Vogel on down to Lt. Rudy Escalante knew about the undercover officers. Additionally, there were communications to and from high-level police from the city manager's office, the downtown development association, and even Mayor Cynthia Mathews herself.

In short, the council voted again to do nothing and trust the police to police themselves. But we will not let up pressure until citizens can express their free speech and free assembly rights without fear that a cop is lurking in their midst.

Audio: FSRN: SCPD Spying Update

Photos: Santa Cruzans Speak Out Against Police Infiltration and for an Independent Investigation

previous coverage: "Just Us" Action Against SCPD Spying || Police Infiltrate Peaceful Parade Organizers