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DESCRIPTION:MORE SLEEPERS AS MOVEMENT FOR JUSTICE GROWS? \nAn expanded response last 
 week at Freedom SleepOut #47 numbered 20-29 sleepers on the sidewalks 
 defying the City's anti-homeless 11 PM - 8:30 AM Sleeping Ban. No tickets 
 were given there--though elsewhere and on other nights police continue to 
 ticket and harass the unhoused community. MC 6.36.010 makes criminals out 
 of anyone sleeping in their vehicles on any public property or "laying out 
 bedding" after 11 PM ("the Blanket Ban"). \n\nPUNISHING THE POOR \nRepeated 
 failures to pay the $159 citation can lead to increased fines and a 
 misdemeanor charge punishable by up to 6 months in jail and $1000 fine. 
 Missing court can also lead to a conviction that makes every subsequent 
 minor violation for the next six months a misdemeanor. Santa Cruz is 
 apparently unique in creating this law. \n\nThe Homeless (Lack of) Services 
 Center has no emergency shelter available, long waiting lists for "path to 
 housing" shelters, and a prison-like unwelcoming atmosphere for day 
 services--that no longer include meals for those "not in the program". Not 
 to mention an ID card requirement, a fenced off "campus", and roaming 
 "security" guards.   The Metro bus service is reportedly considering 
 massive cutbacks impacting poor people to protect its "reserve" 
 fund.\n\nCRACKING DOWN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE CHARITABLE GROUPS \nA toxic 
 mythology holds that the homeless are “burdensome, dangerous, shiftless, 
 disabled, and/or drug-addicted”.  This kind of hysterical nonsense is 
 spread by Take Back Santa Cruz, the Santa Cruz Neighbors, the Downtown 
 Association, & apparently the staff of Santa Cruz City Council.\n\nMHCAN, a 
 previously liberal peer-oriented mental health group, reports severe 
 pressure from hostile neighbors, police, and county authorities. In 
 apprehensive response MHCAN has limited people served and advised people 
 not to "loiter" nearby with an upsurge of 3-month exclusions reportedly 
 raising the level of anxiety there. \n\nThe Red Church at Lincoln and Cedar 
 no longer allows Monday evening meal participants to socialize on the grass 
 outside, take their food outdoors, or even eat unless they get a special 
 ticket. The AFC, a small group of churches, that puts up 20 people a night 
 on a rotating basis, reportedly will evict you if you spend more than one 
 Tuesday night a month with the Freedom Sleepers.  \n\nFILM SCREENING AT DEL 
 MAR WEDNESDAY \nThe SocDoc Thesis Film Festival on Wednesday June 8th 6 PM 
 will include a screening of a Freedom Sleeper documentary by Israel Dawson. 
 Dawson and his partner Lauren. They took hundreds of hours of video in 
 spite of police harassment, ticketing, and arrests in the first few months 
 of the local civil rights struggle at City Hall. to achieve basic human 
 rights for the homeless 
 (http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/06/02/18787179.php ). \n\nPROTESTER 
 PUSHBACK WITH DEMAND FOR VIDEO \nOn Monday Freedom Sleeper Robert Norse 
 filed a demand with the City Attorney for release of all the video around 
 the two tickets he received last year. The pleadings, drawn up by Steve 
 Pleich and Kate Wells, claim he and other Freedom Sleepers were not guilty 
 of violating MC 13.04.011, the "closed area" law used against the group. 
 \n\nNorse argues that the City Hall courtyard area where the Freedom 
 Sleepers slept is inherently a zone where the right to peacefully assemble 
 for a redress of grievances cannot be banned at night. Further the law 
 itself states that being on a pathway through the area--which Norse and 
 numerous other Freedom Sleepers were--explicitly exempts them from the law. 
 Finally the City Council agendas were situated in the middle of the 
 "closed" area and state law guarantees the public's right to 24-hour access 
 to the agendas for a 72 hour period. \n\nPolice and city attorney have 
 refused so far to hand over any video and photos police took of Norse. 
 These would confirm that he was on the path, that he was trying to access 
 the agendas, and that he advised police the Freedom Sleepers were at City 
 Hall to peacefully protest City Council's Sleeping Ban law. All lawful 
 constitutionally protected activity. \n\nThe City could face a federal 
 civil lawsuit for false arrest. Perhaps a number of such 
 lawsuits.\nNorse’s hearing on his Motion to Compel the video evidence 
 comes up Friday June 17 10 AM in Dept. 1.  His trial is scheduled for a 
 week later at the same time, but may be postponed.  \n\nCOME ONE, COME ALL 
 ! \nMeanwhile Dolan, Joey, Blue, and other long-time outdoor activists 
 who've been mainstays of past sleep-outs are likely to be on hand with 
 Keith and Abby of Food Not Bombs, and Zav of HUFF. They invite you to join 
 them to enjoy some summer sidewalk sleeping tonight. Long-time civil rights 
 supporter "Jumbogumbo" Joe Schultz will be providing coffee and perhaps 
 soup. \n\nHUFF (Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom) activists will 
 meet Wednesday June 8th at 11 AM at the Sub Rosa Cafe and 703 Pacific to 
 consider future protest actions. \nFor more event information:  
 http://freedomsleepers.org/ \n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/06/07/18787293.php
SUMMARY:Long-Awaited Freedom Sleepers Mini-Documentary Will Follow SleepOut #48
LOCATION:On the sidewalk outside City Hall at 809 Center St. across from the Main 
 Library downtown\n\nThe protest runs from Tuesday afternoon through 
 mid-morning Wednesday.
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/06/07/18787293.php
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