HUFF Tabling Against Police Repression Downtown

To protest the heavy police (SCPD, 1st Alarm, Host) harassment of the poor, the artists, the vendors, the performers, and the activists on Pacific Avenue.

The "Vanish the Vendors" ordinance is due to return May 10th to City Council. This law will freeze into law police power to continue and increase the threats, citations, and arrests police have already introduced for the last few weeks downtown. See "...Vanish the Vendors Law..." at https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/04/11/18785162.php

Most notorious was the arrest of Alex Skelton and Joff Jones (See "Pigs Repress Free Speech on Pacific" at https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/04/16/18785295.php ) last Saturday. The two have returned--again reportedly outside the performance pens or blue boxes in defiance of the "free speech an hour at a time and only in the blue boxes" Decree of the city staff and Downtown Association.

HUFF will be tabling to demand an end to the restrictive boxes, forbidden zones, and move-every-hour law to return to the peaceful and success Voluntary Downtown Performance Guidelines. It voted at its weekly meeting to support those guidelines and expand them more broadly to vendors, tabler, and others engaging in extended non-commercial speech. See"Santa Cruz, California Street Performing Voluntary Guidelines" at http://www.buskersadvocates.org/saalegalSantaCruzGuide.html).

Other HUFF concerns include its Give A Shit! campaign: restoration and opening of 24-hour bathrooms, including Soquel garage bathroom (closed for three weeks for "vandalism"); end harassment of poor people with no legal shelter the right to sleep at night and cover up with blankets; and the broad restoration of public space in parks and public walkways (heavily monopolized by commercial interests downtown).

Bring signs, friends, video, and high spirits!

Iced tea and brownies likely available for early arrivals.