Peace Camp 2010 Trades Curbside for Courtroom

I'm an outside reporter and supporter, rather than in a core member of PC2010, so I in no way speak for the group. However I have some thoughts.

Last Saturday, Fast-Movin' Ed Frey, activist attorney for half a dozen homeless victims of the Sleeping Ban, announced he was closing down his three-month long public service. Each night, Frey hauled a rented portapotty to PC2010's site (first the County Building, then City Hall, then the County Building again, then back to City Hall) to provide the only night-time toilet facility in Santa Cruz. He also put his body behind his words, by sleeping with those there during the night, while going to court to defend them during the day.


"Beggarbacker" Becky Johnson, a longtime HUFF (Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom) and PC2010 supporter, wrote some inspiring words on the venomous Sentinel Topix website which deserve quoting (http://www.topix.net/forum/source/santa-cruz-sentinel/TI7NB8DTRMOVON3AF#c3)

"October 2nd was the last night for the demonstration/protest portion of Peace Camp 2010.

Attorney, Ed Frey, left a note on the windshield of his pick-up truck explaining that that was the last night he would be bringing the porto-pottie by.

He explained that there was no more use in anyone else being cited, as more citations just became redundant. He also said that the judicial phase of Peace Camp 2010 has begun.

While Ed no longer will be bringing his porto-pottie nightly, some members of Peace Camp 2010 are continuing small protests as warranted, however, PC 2010 is no longer calling for people to come down to a public place and risk arrest to bring attention to the plight of homeless people suffering from the rigid enforcement of the Sleeping Ban, Blanket Ban, and now 647 e, the misdemeanor State anti-lodging law."
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FROM THE SENTINEL EDITORIAL BOARD: " We continue to support the ban, which aims to eliminate some of the problems associated with homeless campers -- noise, trash, waste and crime -- and would ask the activists to consider why there is a lack of public support for their cause."

BECKY REPLIES: The SENTINEL continues to support banning SLEEPING out of doors or in a vehicle anywhere within the city limits, on both public and private property between the hours of 11PM and 8:30AM in a city with legal shelter for 8% of its homeless population. How does denying homeless people the right to sleep at night help them to get back into housing? Or does the SENTINEL intend to deprive them of sleep entirely?

Does the SENTINEL also support banning the use of blanket at night too? MC 6.36.010 section b bans "use of bedding" between the hours of 11PM and 8:30AM --which are incidentally the COLDEST hours of the night. Does the SENTINEL intend for homeless people to freeze to death OR go to jail?

re: noise, trash, waste, and crime

NOISE - there are ordinances which protect against unreasonable noise. Is the SENTINEL saying that housed people have some right to be noisy that homeless people don't have?

TRASH - setting aside the obvious--that housed people generate mountains of trash per person greater than homeless people, why not just cite people who litter rather than imply that all homeless people litter? BTW zero citations for littering have been issued at Peace Camp 2010.

WASTE -- How does banning sleep in a town with too few public bathrooms prevent human waste? Didn't the SENTINEL notice that Peace Camp 2010 brought its own porto-pottie?

CRIME -- Do the SENTINEL editors have a clue what a "crime" is? Sleep is not a crime. Sitting down is not a crime. Lying down is not a crime. Asking for spare change is not a crime. BEING in a parking lot is not a crime. Smoking out of doors is not a crime.

by making innocent behavior into criminal behavior, the City is manufacturing its own "crime" wave. To what end?"


A CRITIC ASKS "Did anyone gain shelter or employment??????"

BECKY: "Well, busting homeless people always provides plenty of employment for cops, judges, jailers, and lawyers. But did Peace camp 2010 provide anyone with shelter? Of course it did!!

We provided a clean, well-lit place which was safe to sleep in, because it was in a public place, and because others sleeping nearby provided a type of security. On the courthouse steps, we provided shelter/nights to an average of 45 people from July 4th through August 11. Then from Aug 12 to Oct 2nd, we slept between 3 and 15 people each night for an average of 9 shelter/nights. In our 61 nights, we provided an estimated 1953 shelter/nights during the course of our protest.

These people found safety in numbers, a welcoming atmosphere, a sense of belonging, mutual support, demonstrating for a good cause, and the comfort and sanitation of a bathroom at night. Peace Camp 2010 is not over. Just the demonstration/protest phase. Now our battle goes to court!!"



UPDATES STILL AVAILABLE AT http://www.peacecamp2010.blogspot.com .

CONTACT ED FREY AT 831-479-8911 TO OFFER LEGAL SUPPORT, ADVICE, AND $$.

HUFF MEETS 10:30 AM WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 6 AT THE ABBEY COFFEHOUSE at High and Highland (technically 350 Mission St.)

I RECOMMEND supporting Steve Plaight for Santa Cruz City Council--he's the only candidate with the courage and common sense to come out against the Sleeping Ban and criminalization of the homeless.

THE NEW LAW requiring dismissal of camping tickets by the City Attorney with proof of waiting list status at the Homeless Services Center technically goes into effect late this month, but is probably already being implemented.

PLEASE CONTACT HUFF (423-4833) if you are (a) refused a place on the HSC waiting list; (b) denied a citation dismissal by the city attorney; (c) refused a "receipt" or proof that your own the waiting list when you get on; and/or (d) gratuitously ticketed by cops even if you show them proof you're on the waiting list.