While the case is over and Johannes Mehserle is back on the streets, the Oakland community has not forgotten the father who was murdered three years ago. The memorial march was held in honor of Oscar as well as other victims of police brutality and murder.

“The murder of Oscar Grant awakened Bay Area residents already reeling from police brutality and state repression in their communities,” said Anita Wills of the Oscar Grant Committee. “Oscar and all the young people that were attacked and terrorized by the BART police that night, in addition to the many victims of police brutality in the greater Bay Area, have become ingrained in our collective memory.”

For more information, and video of Oscar Grant’s family speaking at the rally, see Oscar Grant: Gone But Not Forgotten.

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This article, along with the following photos, were also published at Indybay.org.

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The agencies conducting the raid included the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, police departments from Santa Cruz, Capitola, Scotts Valley, Watsonville and UC Santa Cruz, according to a State Park Ranger who was blocking pedestrian and press access to cross the Water Street Bridge. Rangers, along with City of Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation, were also dismantling tents inside the park. Employees of First Alarm, a private security and policing corporation, were present as well.

For more information on Occupy Santa Cruz, please visit:

Occupy Santa Cruz Helps Those Fallen Through the Cracks
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/11/21/18700650.php

Santa Cruz Co. Sheriff’s Office Dismantles Occupy Santa Cruz Geodesic Dome and Structures at Courthouse
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/12/08/18702101.php

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For more information on Occupy Santa Cruz, please visit:

Occupy Santa Cruz Helps Those Fallen Through the Cracks
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/11/21/18700650.php

photo gallery >>

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The hunger strike at Pelican Bay began on July 1st, quickly spread to prisons across California, and continues at Tehachapi, Corcoran, and Calipatria State Prisons.

The strike was launched with five key demands: 1) Eliminate group punishments; 2) Abolish the debriefing policy and modify active/inactive gang status criteria; 3) Comply with the recommendations of the US Commission on Safety and Abuse in Prisons (2006) regarding an end to long term solitary confinement; 4) Provide adequate food; 5) Expand and provide constructive programs and privileges for indefinite SHU (Security Housing Unit) inmates.

The solidarity demonstration in Santa Cruz began at the clock tower, and proceeded to march down Pacific Ave, and then on the sidewalks of Laurel to Broadway, then Ocean St. to the Santa Cruz County Jail, and concluded back at the clock tower. Demonstrators held an eye-catching banner which states, “Solidarity With The Prisoners. SHU = State-Sanctioned Torture!” and received a lot of positive feedback from people traveling on Water Street and along Pacific Avenue.

Spirited chants included: From Guantanamo to Pelican Bay; State Torture is Not Ok, and Prisoner Rights are Human Rights; Support the Prisoners’ Hunger Strike!

“Secure Communities” (S-Comm) is a federal program that requires local law enforcement agencies to share the fingerprints of all people arrested to immigration enforcement and target those suspected of immigration violations for detention and deportation. This mandated sharing occurs regardless of the type of crime and even if the charges are dropped. Read More and View Photos

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ICE has sold S-Comm to local police departments as a program focused on Level I “high-threat” criminal immigrants (such as kidnappers, drug dealers and murders). However, according to ICE’s own data, the vast majority (79%) of people deported due to S-Comm are non-criminals or were picked up for lower level offenses, such as traffic offenses or petty juvenile mischief.

Local community members in support of AB 1081, who greatly outnumbered opponents (Take Back Santa Cruz) at the city council meeting, point out that in Santa Cruz County, the percentages of persons deported who are categorized as non-criminals or low level offenders is 86%, which is higher than the national average.

Organizers say the BBQ provided a space for people to “kick it in the park and explore ways that we can rely on each other, rather than on the police.” Furthermore, “We don’t need the police to be safe. Police are often an invasive or violent presence in our communities.” Read More and View Photos

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The Copwatch presentation was from people involved with the Modesto Anarcho and Modesto Copwatch collaboration.

The rally was initiated by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 10 after Cephus “Uncle Bobby” Johnson of the Oscar Grant Family spoke to union members about the similarity between the murder of his nephew and a mural on the union hall depicting the 1934 West Coast waterfront strike. On “Bloody Thursday,” July 5th, 1934, a striking seaman and a strike sympathizer, Nicolas Bordoise and Howard Sperry, were killed by a police officer who fired a shotgun into a crowd.

Johanes Mehserle, the ex-BART cop who shot Oscar Grant in the back on January 1, 2009 while Grant was being held face down by multiple officers, faces sentencing in Los Angeles on November 5th. Read More and View Photos

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For more information, see:

Oakland Rally Says: Justice For Oscar Grant! Jail Killer Cops!
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/10/23/18662094.php”

Justice for Oscar Grant! Jail for Killer Cops! Longshore To Shutdown All Bay Area Ports
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/10/18/18661635.php

Oscar Grant Rally For Justice: ILWU Jack Heyman and Clarence Thomas
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/10/21/18661940.php

ILWU Rally for Oscar Grant
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/10/23/18662085.php

http://www.indybay.org/oscargrant

Santa Cruz Municipal Code section 9.50.020, governing conduct on public property, monuments, and lawns, indicates that the ticket is unjustifiable and therefore should not have been issued. 9.50.02 (d) forbids the intentional discharge of a liquid substance. However, the municipal code states that a person is violating 9.50.02 “after having been notified by a police officer, public officer or downtown host that he or she is in violation of the prohibition.”

The woman who was cited for spitting told the SCPD officers that she is a military veteran who helped people as part of a special K9 unit. She also demonstrated a chant and march from her military training before giving Officer Winston an “autograph.” After the police left, she showed me and another observer where she got shot in the knee while in the military. She told me that she had been in Santa Cruz for two days. Read More and View Photos

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The Santa Cruz police generally do not like to be observed when they are harassing people. And they appreciate it even less when their persecutions are documented by people on the street.

Myself and another individual were observing the police harassment from a reasonable distance on the sidewalk, at the corner of Pacific and Soquel Ave. The police began to disrupt my observation and documentation by approaching and photographing me. The other observer was also bullied by the police. He was intimidated into briefly leaving after being told he was on probation. He later told me that he is not on probation, but even if he was, it would probably still be lawful for him to stand on the sidewalk.

Officer Winston issued the ticket to the woman for spitting, even though no prior warning was given, which is required under Santa Cruz Municipal Code section 9.50.020. He then chose me for his next person to harass. I was standing on the sidewalk next to my bicycle and he said that I better have a light. But he was not done looking for a reason to issue me a petty ticket. Winston then said, “You better have a license for your bike.” Then he looked and said, “You don’t have one. Take out your identification.” Even though I was not even riding my bike, Winston was ready to write me a ticket, but I pointed out that I have a license on my bike.

The officers refused to give me one of their cards, or their badge numbers.

Four Santa Cruz Police Department officers have the time to harass and unlawfully ticket someone for spitting on the sidewalk. In retribution for my documentation, Officer Winston looked to give me a ticket for not having a bicycle license. At the same time, the SCPD insists that public safety is in serious jeopardy and that Measure H needs to be passed on November 2nd because the police need more money and more officers on the street.

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