ReOccupy Roving Protest Brightens the Midnight Hours

THE CAUSE

Re-Occupy Santa Cruz began on Saturday in solidarity with (a) Re-Occupy Wall Street, (b) political prisoner Bradley Manning's birthday (or his mother's Birthing Day, as I like to style it), (c) the anniversary of Tunesian street vendor and blogger Mohamed Bouazizi who set himself on fire in despair and defiance a year ago, (d) the protesters arrested and removed from the public assembly area in front of the courthouse, (e) the 200+ homeless folks camped in San Lorenzo park--destroyed by the SCPD on December 8th, and (e) the unprecedented curfew on peaceful assembly in front of the court house now running from 7 PM to 7 AM.

I arrived shortly after noon with HUFF (Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom) activist Becky Johnson to gather documentation of the theft of activist and homeless property in the various spoiling raids made by sheriff's deputies as well as the massive jackbooted destruction of the San Lorenzo Campground. We secured about half a dozen written accounts.

There was extensive discussion on a location to re-Occupy, ranging from the Pogonip to the Boardwalk. Finally, the choices narrowed down to City Hall, the County Building, the Town Clock, and a Mobile Encampment. 60-70 people at the General Assembly consensed to return in nightly civil disobedience to reclaim the County Building. Chicken Soup for the Soul filled the belly and extensive Xmas songs with Occupy lyrics warmed the air.

A dozen or more folks reportedly continued to shiver and pace at the County Building as night deepened, with a display of candles lighting the courthouse steps. Sometime in mid-evening, sheriffs arrived demanding (with symbolic irony) that the candles be put out. When folks declined, the sheriffs themselves enforced the darkness.


THE EXILE

Soon thereafter, sheriffs drove the vigil from the courthouse steps and they moved to the Town Clock with sleeping bags, tents, and two Tent Monsters, with tents secured about their bodies like hoop skirts. They additionally carried a “corporate” American flag (stars replaced by corporate logos).

Peace activist and perennial city council contender Steve Pleich noted the arrival of hot mint tea to sustain the nightstalkers.

Ventura attorney Jay Leiderman will be appearing at a press conference with Commander X (Chris Doyan) Tuesday afternoon on his own misdemeanor tickets for “lodging” a year ago at PeaceCamp2010 and again more recently at Occupy Santa Cruz.

Around 10 pm. The merry protesters set up a tent or three at the Town Clock, two city squad cars disgorged armed blueshirts advising that the town clock was a “park” closed at night. “Not so,” noted the law-savvy lighthearts pointing to the sign which stated the closing hours began at 1 AM. Cops then pointed to the tents and accused the activists of “camping”. “Nope”, retorted the smoothtalking scofflaws, “the tents are empty and covered with writing—they are protest signs”.

Around 11:30, “Hamburgler” reported that police told a protester she couldn't sit in the gingko tree at the clock because it was “mutilation”. When threateningly advised that if any bark came off the tree, when she came down, she'd be charged, the terrorist treesitter said she'd just stay up there then.


OUSTED FROM THE CLOCK TOWER

The defiant dozen had by now dwindled, by phone report, to about half their original number. Around 2 AM the group reportedly moved across the street to the small stretch of unposted greenery on the Mission Street side, but were told that this place too was a “park” even though it wasn't posted as such.

In response, ever mindful of the law, the dwindling group of deepnight downtowners moved to the broad sidewalk area in front of Bank of the West kitty-corner from the Town Clock. Eagle-eyed officers from across the street hastened over to point out they had only 1 hour to be there because their tents (including the beloved mobile Tent Monsters) were “display devices” which had to “move 100' every hour” under the city's unique “move along law” and not return to the same spot for 24 hours (MC 5.43.020).

A passing car took pity on the besieged band and provided some muffins, apparently liking the educational signs. The tenacious tent-sters then advised the SCPD that they had moved several feet from the location they'd been in half an hour before, fulfilling the torturous terms of the municipal code.

Not to be outdone, Sgt. Flippo and two officers returned to advise the surviving Fabulous Four (the group had been further depleted by exhaustion) at 3:30 AM that they were insufficiently removed from intersections and buildings (10' from each). Ever obedient, the group moved to the last cornerstone to the post office, only to be told that their remaining tent was “too large a display device” to be allowed.

Police also threatened to ticket for laying down on the sidewalk and for littering (though the protesters said they hadn't dropped anything). The kindly Sgt. Flippy provided the protesters with a copy of some of the downtown ordinances. Somewhere along there “Just Keeping' Watch” George arrived with camera to document some of these authoritarian antics.


UPCOMING ANTICS

Crossing swords with well-rested and well-paid cops in well-warmed squad cars is no picnic. I commend these persistent protesters.

The Occupy Santa Cruz General Assembly is still 2 PM Saturdays and Sundays and 6 PM (dress warmly) on weekdays. It's still held on the Water St. courthouse steps.

The reading of the dead homeless for this year will happen as it does every year on December 20th Tuesday at 10:30 AM at the Homeless (Lack of) Services Center at 115 Coral St.

Newly selected Mayor Don Lane (whom I fondly term Gone Lame) is scheduled to meet with Occupy Santa Cruz and interested parties 4 PM Monday December 19th in front of the County Steps. Lane, it should be remembered, has voted in favor of the Sleeping Ban, increased penalties for the "infractions" which police pulled out of the code mentioned above, the injunction against the San Lorenzo Campground, and closed bathrooms at night for San Lorenzo Park. He had no objections to the curfew on City Council grounds last night created to harass and disperse the PeaceCamp 2010 protesters of that year who were fighting the Sleeping Ban.

Disingenous Deputy Lt. Craig Wilson will be meeting at 2 PM on Tuesday December 20th in the atrium/breezeway between the County Building and the Courthouse.
Wilson, though praised by some, is noteworthy to me as one who told Occupy Santa Cruz activists when the "No Trespassing 7 PM to 7 AM" signs suddenly appeared that this would not be used to abrogate First Amendment rights, but simply applied to other parts of the County Building area. These assurances were shortly followed by the destruction of the Ocudome and the ticketing and arrest of activists on the steps in the "protected zone". Four have been recently charged with "trespass" and face six months and $1000 in jail.

I'll be discussing these matters further on my show later today (9:30 AM to 1 PM) when I'll also have on a foreclosure victim who may be inviting Occupy Santa Cruz to sent up tents on his property before it gets eaten by Wells Fargo, Barry Swanson, or any of the other real estate speculators around. Tune in to Free Radio at 101.3 FM or http://www.freakradio.org. The show will be archived at http://www.radiolibre.org/brb/brb111218.mp3