On August 7th, shortly before midnight, Santa Cruz County Sheriffs began to awaken and arrest constitutional lawyer Edward Frey as he slept on the plaza of the County Courthouse. It was the 35th consecutive night of Santa Cruz Peace Camp 2010, a demonstration against the Santa Cruz Sleeping Ban, officially known as M.C. 6.36.010, which makes it a crime to sleep outdoors in Santa Cruz, with or without bedding, at any time between the hours of 11pm to 8:30am.

Frey, and others who have been arrested at Santa Cruz Peace Camp 2010, was not charged with violating M.C. 6.36.010, the city law which the demonstration targets. Instead, Santa Cruz County Sheriffs are citing and arresting people for allegedly violating California Penal Code Section 647(e), an anti-vagrancy statute which dates back to slavery laws.

Read more and view photos | Midnight Busts at PeaceCamp2010 Renew Protest Determination

On the night of Sunday, August 8th, eight deputies arrived around 11pm to harass, interrogate and cite two more Peace Camp stalwarts, Chris Doyon and Collette Connally, as they tried to sleep. The wet cold night held health problems for Doyon who said he'd picked up pneumonia after being held for four hours in handcuffs in a police van on Saturday morning, and then stripped of most of his clothes in jail.

5th Deputy Assault on Peace Camp Fails to Drive Away Ailing But Determined Protesters | previous coverage: Sheriff's Deputies Wake, Question and Photograph People at Peace Camp 2010