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One Big Earthquake and You’re All Homeless: End the Sleeping Ban

Published on August 10, 2010 in Community Building

“One Big Earthquake and You’re All Homeless” was the hand-written message greeting travelers at Ocean and Water, one of the busiest intersections in Santa Cruz County, on Tuesday afternoon, August 10th. The message was displayed by Red and Crow, participants of the Peace Camp 2010 demonstration at the courthouse, who also displayed a sign stating “End the Sleeping Ban”.

Red and Crow have been sleeping outside since their van and personal possessions were impounded. They say they have received only positive looks and feedback from passersby, speculating that people are understanding that homelessness can happen to anybody and anytime.

“If there was a big earthquake, a lot of people would instantly be homeless,” said Crow. “But then the sleeping ban would be lifted,” he added. Read More and View Photos

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Kindergartener Nazis?

Published on August 9, 2010 in Community Building, No Borders

Photo by Bradley, August 9, 2010, downtown Santa Cruz.
Text and tip taken from Antifascist 831 (http://antifascist831.wordpress.com)

Encouragingly, someone used black to cross out the “SS” lightning bolt tag in yellow chalk on the wall next to the pay phone on Lincoln Street, and wrote “Kill Nazis” underneath. It is a good practice to cross out racist and nazi graffiti, even if it is written in chalk. Crossing out racist graffiti allows passerby to see that there is that element out there, and also opposition to it, whereas merely covering it up makes the problem invisible.

For those unfamiliar, “SS” refers to Nazi Germany’s Schutzstaffel, the paramilitary force that ran the concentration camps (among other functions), and is a common Neo-Nazi symbol. Read More and View Photo

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Sunday Night Sleepers at Santa Cruz Peace Camp 2010

Published on August 9, 2010 in Community Building, Police

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. Read More and View Photos

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Attorney Ed Frey Arrested on 35th Night of Santa Cruz Peace Camp 2010

Published on August 8, 2010 in Community Building, Police

On Saturday, 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

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Chess, Drums, Snacks, Sleep and Sheriffs at Santa Cruz Peace Camp 2010

Published on August 5, 2010 in Community Building, Police

Wednesday, August 4th marked the 31st day and 32nd night of Santa Cruz Peace Camp 2010, which is taking place at the Santa Cruz County Courthouse to protest the Santa Cruz Sleeping Ban, officially known as M.C. 6.36.010, and provide a safer spot for people to sleep at night.

In the afternoon, Ronee Curry, a supporter of folks on the street, brought much joy to the camp with a delivery of burritos, sandwiches and donuts. The traditional Wednesday drum circle, which for years played at the farmer’s market, and then on the river levee for several weeks, migrated the weekly ritual to the courthouse lawn.

At about 11:15pm, five sheriff’s deputies individually approached, awakened, interrogated, warned, and photographed homeless people sleeping at the County Building and Courthouse. Robert Norse, a homeless rights advocate, reports that angry Peace Camp 2010 residents followed the deputies, denouncing the harassment and invasion of peoples’ privacy, as they shined flashlights in the faces of sleeping people. No arrests were reported, however according to Santa Cruz Peace Camp 2010, less than 45 minutes after the action by the Sheriff’s deputies, a disabled protester with a heart condition was treated by paramedics then taken by ambulance. Read More and View Photos

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