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DESCRIPTION:FREEDOM SLEEPERS AS HOMELESS GUARDIANS\nPolice have recently not cited 
 Freedom Sleepers on the sidewalk in front of City Hall.  They apparently 
 prefer not to invite further federal and public scrutiny for the obvious 
 human rights violation of denying the poor the right to sleep.\n\nHomeless 
 folks without tents or other protective clothing prefer to shelter in the 
 eaves of buildings.   They are unconstitutionally rousted when they sleep 
 in the hallways at City Hall.  They are exposed to wind and rain when 
 sleeping on the sidewalk along with the Freedom Sleepers.\n\nConsequently, 
 far more homeless folks sleep in adjacent areas such as outside the 
 library, the Civic Auditorium, and the Greek Orthodox Church--where they 
 are confronted by First Alarm thugs and SCPD.   Freedom Sleepers then 
 respond to such abuses by protest and video--which is then posted on 
 line.\n\nBetter nighttime video equipment is needed as are greater 
 numbers.\n\nIS REAL REFORM COMING UP AT CITY COUNCIL?\nThough today’s is 
 the last city Council meeting in February, some more credulous activists 
 are looking forward to the next Council conclave on March 8.  At that 
 meeting former Mayor Don Lane has promised to bring forward his Sleeping 
 Ban “Reform” which removes “sleeping” from the definition of 
 camping at night.  \n\nActivists “Lighthouse” Linda Lemaster, chair of 
 the City’s former Homeless Issues Task Force, and “Bathrobespierre” 
 Robert Norse have pointed out that the Lane proposal currently retains the 
 “Blanket Ban” which keeps laying out of bedding after 11 PM a crime.   
 So only sleeping without blankets is permitted?   \n\nOther Freedom 
 Sleepers have pointed out that banning tents and protective “camping 
 gear” lays the homeless open to rain and cold. \n\n“Push Back” Pat 
 Colby, a faithful Freedom Sleeper food provider and HUFF leader, goes 
 further and points out that police are using other laws to drive homeless 
 refugees out of town such as the “Closed at Night” law and “no 
 trespass” statutes.  \n\nRetiring Parks and Recreation Department Czarina 
 Dannettee Shoemaker has used the “Closed at Night” law to cite hundreds 
 of homeless people in the last year with additional extra-judicial 
 ‘Stay-Away” orders added at the whim of the citing officer.  Chief 
 Kevin Vogel’s police department has extensively used the “Closed at 
 Night” law with its $198 fine against Freedom Sleepers for simply being 
 at City Hall at night with their “Ban the Sleeping Ban” signs.\n\nNEW 
 PARKS AND REC BOSS?\nThose who wish to demand a new direction in Parks and 
 Recreation more open to the entire community and particularly the 
 low-income and homeless community can supposedly submit comments through 
 March 4 by completing an on-line survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/Y8T27VV . 
  \n\nSome HUFFsters have proposed daytime protest action outside the P & R 
 office and/or shadowing P &R’s “homeless camp removal” squads with 
 video.\n\n24-HOUR BATHROOMS DUE TO BE FLUSHED?\nClosed since late December, 
 the previously 24-hour Soquel Ave. garage bathroom is reportedly on the 
 chopping block for permanent nighttime closure.  A thin staff report on the 
 matter was published on the February 9th City Council agenda.\n\nPublic 
 Works’ Records as to the specific “abuses” justifying shutting down 
 the bathroom have not yet been made public, but it appears the primary 
 cause for police calls has been folks using the bathroom as shelter.   
 Given the fact that there’s less than 100 emergency shelter mats at the 
 Armory and 1000-2000 homeless people, can you blame them?\n\nMeanwhile the 
 City continues to lock down its City Council bathrooms at night, even 
 though security guards prowl the area.   The traditional "poo and pee" 
 homeless-a-phobic rhetoric has apparently been toned down, but the reality 
 is that without facilities, people will do their business where they 
 must.\n\nACTIVISTS STILL CALLING FOR FOOD, VIDEO, AND COMPANY\nThe 
 weathered Freedom Sleepers invite donations of blankets and food as well as 
 personal visits, even for short periods of time for those disinclined to 
 sleep out.  \n\nFolks can also get together afterwards to discuss the 
 night’s events as well as the next steps at the Sub Rosa café Wednesday 
 11 AM at 703 Pacific Ave.\n\nHISTORY AND DEEPER 
 BACKGROUND\nhttps://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/02/14/18782944.php\n\nOTHER 
 RESOURCES\nhttps://www.youtube.com/user/tobynixon\nhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomsleepers/ 
 \nwww.huffsantacruz.org\n\nThis posting was created by Robert Norse and is 
 his sole responsibility.\n\n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/02/23/18783231.php
SUMMARY:The Sidewalk is Their Beat: Freedom SleepOut #33
LOCATION:Patrolling the grounds and sidewalks of City Hall in defense of the 
 homeless, Freedom Sleepers maintain their night watch.  They shine their 
 weekly light on the nightly Sleeping Ban and Closed area laws which 
 criminalize 1000-2000 homeless people in Santa Cruz.  The event runs from 5 
 PM Tuesday to around 9 AM Wednesday.\n
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/02/23/18783231.php
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