Anarchist activist and former parade organizer Wes Modes was found guilty on August 16th of walking in the DIY New Year's parade on December 31, 2009. Santa Cruz Superior Court Judge Jeff Almquist rejected arguments that the citation was discriminatory and that the city's permit requirements were unconstitutional. Almquist also denied a lengthy challenge to the City's permit requirements without addressing all of the points it brought up.

One important concern was whether this verdict would be used to send Wes to jail, by alleging he was in violation of a sentencing condition from an arrest on September 17th, 2008 near the Santa Cruz Farmer's Market. When asked to finalize and acknowledge Wes's community service hours, Almquist declined to make a statement. Instead he postponed any discussion of the issue until November 30th.

According to parade participants, the Almquist's ruling is the latest in a series of police and city harassment that Modes has received since outing police infiltrators in 2005.

Read more | previous coverage: Parade Group Challenges Santa Cruz City Permits | Parade Prosecution: People v. Wes Modes