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UID:Indybay-18602497
SEQUENCE:18653464
CREATED:20090618T225500Z
DESCRIPTION:HUFF (Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom) and HRO (Human Rights 
 Organization) in concert with independent activists continue our picketing 
 and protest, which we began three weeks ago. \n\nPolice continue to harass 
 homeless musicians Anna Richardson and Miguel de Leon--who have no legal 
 place to sleep at night--for the "crime" of sleeping after 11 PM under the 
 City's medieval MC 6.36.010a (the homeless Sleeping Ban).\n\nBunny's Shoes, 
 Property managers at Borders and the Palomar, and Manthri Srinath, owner of 
 Lulu Carpenters) all contributed to a discriminatory court Injunction, 
 granted last month by Judge Paul Burdick.  \n\nThis injunction bans 
 Richardson and deLeon from sleeping anywhere in a park or on the sidewalk 
 in the downtown area on pain of jail.  City law additionally bans them from 
 sleeping anywhere on public property in Santa Cruz after 11 PM.\n\nIt has 
 nothing to do with any kind of real criminal conduct or nuisance behavior 
 like littering, trespassing, disturbing the peace, urinating, defecating, 
 etc.   Simply sleeping becomes a jailing offense.\n\nThe impact of the 
 decision expands far beyond these two performers, since there are 1500-2000 
 homeless in Santa Cruz of whom less than 10% have shelter throughout the 
 summer.\n\nHomeless people face $97 citations, police harassment, theft and 
 destruction of their property, and discrimination.\n\nIt is piling 
 absurdity upon cruelty to ban sleeping downtown on pain of jail, yet allow 
 no legal place for homeless people to sleep. MC 6.36.010 makes all 
 nighttime sleeping illegal outside on public property already; the 
 Injunction adds a jail penalty to the downtown area for this homeless 
 couple.\n\nActivists will continue presenting their Pledge on Human Rights 
 and Harmony for merchants to display in their windows or in their stores in 
 soldarity if they choose. So far about about 1/5 of the businesses downtown 
 have been approached.\n\nBunny's management was personally approached 
 yesterday requesting they acknowledge the right of homeless people to sleep 
 not anywhere and everywhere but somewhere in Santa Cruz and post the pledge 
 on their window or in their store in a visible location.   They have so far 
 declined to do this, citing "company policy".\n\nWhile we respect the right 
 of Bunny's to manage its own property, when it supports police action on 
 public property against those that have no choice, it needs to hear from 
 the community--as does every business that supports this kind of 
 "get-out-of-town" bigotry.\n\nThe pledge we ask business to support reads: 
 "This business does not discriminate. We support Human Rights for the 
 homeless community. In particular, the right to sleep at night--not 
 anywhere and everywhere--but somewhere." [See 
 http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/06/12/18601539.php ]\n\nIn essence we 
 ask downtown businesses to advise the community and their customers that 
 they no longer favor--whatever position they may have taken in the 
 past--turning homeless people into criminals for sleeping--something over 
 which they have no control.\n\nBusinesses that have the clarity and courage 
 to do this should be rewarded and those that don't should be 
 questioned.\n\nThe stepped-up struggle to restore human rights is a 
 response to stepped-up harassment described in a letter published in this 
 week's Santa Cruz Weekly (formerly the Metro Santa Cruz):\n\n"Thanks for 
 covering the successful resolution of a local human rights controversy at 
 Jack's (“After the Sh*tstorm”, 6-10).   Even more thanks HUFF workers 
 Rick, Valerie, and Bernard; to mediator Brent Adams; to Jack's co-owner, 
 Connie Hutchinson ; and to Shiney, Gabe, Christina, Aaron, Daniel, and all 
 the other street activists who helped bring the issues into public view.  
 \n\nThese folks made possible the swift and peaceful resolution of homeless 
 discrimination concerns that now need to be addressed more broadly in Santa 
 Cruz.\n\nI also thank Ronee, Tanya, Rev. Joel, Miller,, and the many 
 volunteers at Calvary Episcopal who make their Monday coffeehouse and 
 ministry a truly valuable experience.  \n\nIt's too bad that their 
 enlightened policy has been now significantly marred by a standing trespass 
 order against homeless-looking people sitting innocently on their laws.  
 The fact that Mayor Mathews led this anti-homeless campaign is an even 
 darker reality.   Removing large swaths of public space from use in order 
 to “disappear” homeless people is a bad practice.  \n\nIn 2007, the 
 Matthews Council, under the leadership of Ryan Coonerty, removed ten square 
 blocks (all the public parking lots and garages) from public use.  
 \n\nFurther criminalization of the poor has followed through the 
 constriction of public space on the sidewalks for such harmless behaviors 
 as sitting, peaceful sparechanging, political tabling, and street 
 performing\n\nThe latest chapter in this thinly disguised attack on the 
 visible poor is the “No Sleeping” Injunction against two homeless 
 musicians downtown.  \n\nI encourage the business community to reject the 
 city-wide Sleeping Ban law, which other larger conservative cities (Los 
 Angeles, San Diego, Fresno) have overturned.  \n\nThanks to those stores 
 that have signed theNon-discrimination Pledge.   Visitors and residents 
 should ask some hard questions of those that refuse before they spend their 
 money there.\n\nFlyers are downloadable 
 at:\nhttp://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/06/12/18601539.php\n\nMore info 
 on this situation 
 at\nhttp://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/06/15/18601786.php\n\nhttp://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/06/09/18601111.php\n\nhttp://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/06/02/18599901.php\nand 
 \n\nhttp://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/05/28/18598906.php \n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/06/18/18602497.php
SUMMARY:Pledging Non-Discrimination--Round Three--Bunny's Redux
LOCATION:On the sidewalk near Bunny's Shoes in downtown Santa Cruz at 1350 Pacific 
 Ave.and its sister store across the street
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/06/18/18602497.php
DTSTART:20090620T200000Z
DTEND:20090620T220000Z
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