On March 13th, UC Santa Cruz canceled their judicial review hearing against Cruz Molina just before it was set to begin, off-campus, at the UCSC Inn. Cruz and David Benterou are UCSC freshman targeted for allegedly having the tree-sitters as their “guests” on the morning of November 7th, 2007. Supporters of Cruz and David organized a “Student Justice Teach-In” on March 6th. They assert that UCSC is trying to scapegoat Cruz and David by holding them responsible for all past, present and future actions of the tree-sit on Science Hill.
Students and other community members arrived at the UCSC Inn to discover that demonstrations are not allowed there because it is private property and that Cruz’s hearing was canceled. No official explanation was given for the cancellation, though some people asserted that Doug Zuidema, UCSC’s Director of Judicial Affairs, wanted to hear Cruz’s version of the events before holding a hearing. The announced demonstration and media exposure of UCSC’s off-campus, behind closed doors, judicial review process may have influenced them more than a last minute altruistic decision to inquire about Cruz’s version of events. Read More and View Photos
On February 24th, police broke through the front door of a home on the 700 block of Riverside Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz. For the duration of the police presence they declined to comment on their reason for being there, other than to say it was an “ongoing investigation.” Comments on the newswire state that the police actions were in response to a demonstration that took place that morning at the home of a UCSC vivisectionist (animal testing by inflicting distress unto an animal to research the effects of a variable). 
As you literally may of heard, on January 23rd, the Santa Cruz Trash Orchestra and fellow drummers provided rhythm for the weekly community gathering in the Cathcart parking lot during the Santa Cruz Farmers Market. A vegetarian soup was provided to all interested by a renown local chef and supporter of peaceful community gatherings. The mushroom soup was able to soothe hunger and warm up the cold, although not rainy, afternoon and break the ice while people were beginning to gather around and wonder what was going to happen. Without needing any cues, the Santa Cruz Trash Orchestra got the party started and slowly but surely more and more people began playing music, dancing, sharing food, poi spinning, hacky sacking, talking, documenting and spectating.
On January 12th, two University of California police officers used pepper spray to disperse about 15 people gathered below an occupied redwood tree on Science Hill at UC Santa Cruz. The officers got out of their car, which was parked in the parking lot, and then followed the people dressed in black and wearing bandannas across their faces. One of the officers proclaimed that the group was trespassing and then both officers began pepper spraying people in their faces.
On January 10th, a tree-sitter on Science Hill at UC Santa Cruz dangled a lime green shopping bag from a platform high up in a redwood, presumably with the desire of receiving food, dry clothing and other supplies for occupying the crown of a coastal redwood during a stormy winter. UC police officers stood below the trees to prevent people from sharing with tree-sitters. A security guard also confiscated a backpack from under a tree and then turned it over to the police. UCSC has resorted to a diversity of tactics in trying to end the tree-sit which has been ongoing since November 7th, 2007, including police intimidation and violence, public relations lies and propaganda, and seeking a court injunction against named and unnamed individuals. 
The Wednesday afternoon of August 15th, 2007, seemed like a typical day at the Santa Cruz Farmers Market. Farmers, or their employees, were busy selling fruits and vegetables grown in the Monterey Bay Area, and throughout California. Meanwhile, customers of the market and other folks gathered in the parking lot alongside the market to share vegetarian food and enjoy the music of a community drum circle. Unfortunately, this traditional weekly community gathering has recently been repressed by the Santa Cruz police and deemed illegal thanks to the passage of a new city ordinance that prohibits people from being in a parking lot or garage, unless they have a vehicle there (and then only for fifteen minutes). 
