Author Archives: huffsantacruz

No Police Brutality Day Saturday 6:30 PM October 22nd Town Clock

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NOTES BY NORSE:   HUFF supports this demonstration of concern (some of us would say “rage”) about the unnecessary slaying of Sean Arlt, author of the book Manifesto of Love, who was shot four times fatally within a period of 20 seconds in spite of a clear “mental health watch” designation which the SCPD was aware of.

               HUFF has long-standing concerns about Chief Vogel’s department which we have itemized in detail in past demonstrations (See  https://www.indybay.org/uploads/2014/12/13/flyer__for__12-17.pdf AND https://www.indybay.org/uploads/2014/12/03/grand_jury_protest_updated.pdf .

               Though less so in recent months, SCPD continue to harass the Freedom Sleeper protest (which is ironically trying to relieve police of the burden of enforcing anti-homeless laws).  See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqVRFIZIkBs for police harassment of unhoused folks at Freedom SleepOut #67 two days ago.    Another of the many examples of police force against peaceful protesters is “Santa Cruz Police Arrest Journalist and Issue Stay Away Orders at Community Sleepout #5” at https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2015/08/16/18776253.php.          Videoed examples of SCPD violence against unarmed people include “Video Surfaces of Santa Cruz Police Officers Hitting and Tasing Man” at https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2015/03/11/18769816.php and “Police Injury of Homeless Man Still Unresolved” at https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2015/02/18/18768736.php

 

HUFF Flyers calling for deep police reform in Santa Cruz are at Video of the Officer Vasquez’s takedown of Richard Hardy in this last incident can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Tyj3yxwy-o

Manifesto of Love
Date Saturday October 22
Time 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Location Details Santa Cruz Town Clock, corner of Pacific Ave and Water St, Santa Cruz
Event Type Vigil/Ritual
Organizer/AuthorFree SANTA CRUZ

MANIFESTO OF LOVE
…to end police violence and the criminalization of those without homes.

October 22nd No Police Brutality Day
Saturday, October 22, 2016
Candle light vigil starts at 6:30 PM
Town Clock
Pacific Avenue and Water and Front Streets, Santa Cruz

REMEMBER SEAN SMITH ARLT, AUTHOR OF THE LOVE MANIFESTO
“He was loving, caring, kind, and greatly inspired by social justice issues.”

“I’m’ just amazed that they shot a man with a rake,” said neighbor Larry Millsap.

Sean’s neighbor, Margaret Nelson said “We have to as a society step up and find a way to deal with mentally ill people when they’re out of their minds that doesn’t entail just killing them because they don’t respond.”

The Santa Cruz Police killed a mentally ill residence Sean Smith Arlt on the West Side. A second mentally ill person, John Blinkenberg, took his own life during a stand off with the police and their BearCat Armored Vehicle. This is part of a nationwide crisis where police use deadly force on people of color and the mentally ill. Call on the Santa Cruz Police Department to use a compassionate response for those suffering from mental health issues or forces to live on our streets.

October 22nd No Police Brutality Day started in 1996 in response to a number of high profile murders by the police of people of color and the brutal repression of non-violent protests.

manifesto-of-love.jpg

For more information or to leave comments, go to https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/10/20/18792493.php

In the wake of smoking police guns, HUFF meets tomorrow 11 AM Sub Rosa Cafe at 703 Pacific

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With the recent killing Sean Amit Sunday morning,  police gunslingers have raised a long needed debate about the need for Community Control of Police that HUFF has long been urging.    Or will this be another excuse to blame the disabled and the “mentally ill”?     Also on the Agenda:

  • the ACLU Board of Directors meeting 7 PM tomorrow night at Louden Nelson–homeless defense on the agenda or was the Houseless Forum A Carnival Passing Through Town?…
  • Tenant Rights Forum 7 PM Louden Nelson also tomorrow–Will City Council candidates punt or play (don’t get your hopes up)…
  • the continuing struggle of vendors and street performers downtown–Romina’s struggle as the City Attorney stonewalls…
  • street artists Joff and Alex–a lost battle against the Blue Boxes–but an ongoing war?
  • Endorsing Council Candidates or Repudiating the Election?
  • Rainy Days and Rousts–is Jessica Nash’s report a peek into the future?…

and, of course, more and more…
with hits of coffee available to keep you going…

Rain or Shine–Freedom SleepOut #67 Rolls On

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Date Tuesday October 18
Time 3:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Location Details Cityhall Land–where sleep for the homeless is banned and armed Sleepbusters get their paychecks at 809 Center St. After the First Amendment closes down at 10 PM on the City Hall grounds, many will choose to sleep along the Center St. sidewalk between Locust and Church Sts. The event goes on until Wednesday morning, after which houseless folks face harassment at the whim of police, rangers, and security thugs for the rest of the week.
Event Type Protest
Organizer/Author Keith McHenry (story by Norse)
Email keith [at] foodnotbombs.net
Phone 575-770–3377

BLOWING THE WHISTLE ON BAD CONDITIONS IN SHERIFF HART’S JAIL
Freedom Sleeper Lucero Luna, many times arrested and jailed, for peaceful protest against the Sleeping Ban on Pacific Avenue, reported her attempts to create alleviation of bad conditions in the women’s jail resulted in a “crazy” designation. Her report noted women were held on the men’s side of the jail; male jailers watched her while she was stripped; women were packed into a cell like sardines; the floors covered with women trying to sleep; She was wakened every half hour with a flashlight in the face for “suicide checks”. Reportedly bunk beds were put in shortly after her departure in possible response to Lucero’s expose.

FREEZING FREE EXPRESSION ON PACIFIC AVENUE
Visual artists Joff Jones and Alex Skelton were assaulted with $1300 in fines for displaying their paintings “outside the blue boxes” in the courtroom of Commissioner “Bash the Bums” Baskett. She dismissed and ignored all Constitutional arguments after making a show of keeping to court protocol. It’s unclear whether two, who have (in my view unwisely) kept their defense and their case under wraps, will appeal.

Ramini–an Iranian musician and craftswoman–was fined $233 for having her artwork on display without any evidence of sales as part of a cultural background to her musical performing. The City Attorney’s office has refused to clarify whether it now regards any display of handicrafts, even if handmade and not offered for sale or donation, a crime.

A dozen homeless folks were driven out into the rain, reports Jessica Nash, late Friday morning as they took shelter under the trees across from the Civic Auditorium. See “Police and Ranger Raid on Homeless In the Rain Reported” at https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/10 ./14/18792238.php

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Video of Santa Cruz ACLU’s Form on Houselessness

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Wes White, a lead activist in establishing and supporting the Salinas Flagpole houseless community at Salinas City Hall, came to Santa Cruz last week to speak at and video the Rhodes event.

The Flagpole Community was forcibly dispersed by Salinas police on the night of Saturday October 1 using a draconian “emergency” law passed by the Salinas City Council 10 days earlier.

There has, as of yet, been no follow-up by the Santa Cruz ACLU, the sponsor of the Rhodes book tour, in terms of any local challenges to local repressive Santa Cruz ordinances. Meanwhile, homeless folks face continued harassment as the weather turns colder. See “Police and Ranger Raid on Homeless In the Rain Reported” at https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/10/14/18792238.php .

The video of the ACLU Forum on Houselessness can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kmy7TwsnbzM&feature=youtu.be .

http://luckyagentwes@yahoo.com

HUFF Updates: Cruelty in the Rain in Santa Cruz; Fresno Activist on Free Radio Sunday 11 AM; Tips for Those Fighting Police/Ranger Property Seizures

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Police and Ranger Raid on Santa Cruz Homeless In the Rain Reported
by Robert Norse (rnorse3 [at] hotmail.com )
Friday Oct 14th, 2016 7:22 PM

Around 11 AM today, activist and car-dweller Jessica Nash reports that two vans of “Park Rangers” from Harvey West followed by 5 cars of SCPD in uniform pulled up on a dozen homeless people. They were sitting on the wall and under sheltering trees from the rain by the side of the sidewalk across from the Civic Auditorium today. The armed officers threatened to seize blankets, bikes, food, and belongings if the homeless didn’t move out into the bad weather.

MAKING SANTA CRUZ “LESS FRIENDLY” TO THE UNHOUSED
According to a phone report from Ms. Nash, the police told homeless people “get your stuff and get out or we’re gonna bring a truck, load it up, and take it away.” The rangers–already in trucks– appeared ready to remove homeless survival gear. Some were there watching property for others. Everyone was threatened to force them to leave.

The police raid came upon homeless sharing food and sheltering themselves from the first winter storm. The threats to take their blankets, their bikes, their food, and their belongings frightened the homeless into silence.

This apparently was not enough. Ms. Nash reported that when she tried to help folks gather up their stuff, one cop began threatening her. “You’ve got a car? Well, get in it and leave. I can impound it right now–I’m so pissed off.”

Nash reported the dialogue continued: “Don’t make me inpound your car. You have expired tags. I’m sick of people not listening.” Nash, with her sheltering car at stake, said she was forced to leave.

The “deportation and removal” action reportedly took about an hour. She noted rangers were also armed with tasers and guns.

DEEPER DISCRIMINATION AND INDIFFERENCE BY MAYOR MATHEWS, CITY COUNCIL, CITY STAFF, AND POVERTY PIMPS
Ms. Nash has sought legal help to deal with disability discrimination at the Homeless (Lack of) Services Center [HLOSC] at 115 Coral St. She claims she was repeatedly being denied services because of bedbugs she claims came from the still vermin-ridden Paul Lee Loft. She spoke before City Council on Tuesday about the wretched conditions and left in tears. Officials promised no action, claiming it was a County matter. However the City provides over $100,000 a year to the HLOSC and the HLOSC Board usually includes a Council member.

There is currently no walk-in shelter in Santa Cruz. Waiting lists for the HLOSC are either full or require a “pathway to housing” (i.e. a monthly check). The City Hall sidewalk is the site of a weekly Sleep-Out there by the Freedom Sleepers, now going into their 67th week next Tuesday.

Nash noted Mayor Cynthia Mathews had not returned her calls. Mathews–running for reelection–voted to continue to make the act of sleeping outside after 11 PM a crime costing several hundred dollars in fines, for which hundreds of citations have been issued in the last few years. Even the token 100-space Winter Shelter Armory is not slated to be funded and opened this year (with the homeless population at 1000-2000)

Under Mathews, the City Hall bathrooms have frequently been locked during the day.  Two 2nd class homeless portapotties (located at Cedar and Locust, and Cedar and Lincoln) were recently set up supposedly to open at 10 PM at night.    All existing brick-and-mortar bathrooms with sinks have been closed during the day in spite of the need for community use at night.  Activists report that even these portapotties have not been open on occasions when homeless folks have tried to use them.

POLITICS AS USUAL?
Mathews is running for Santa Cruz City Council for her 6th term on a business-as-usual slate, opposed by the New City Council slate of Schnaar, Glover, Brown, and Krohn.  Outspoken Sleeping Ban opponent Steve Pleich has withdrawn from the race and thrown his support to the New City Council slate.  HUFF (Homeless United for Friendship and Freedom) has made no endorsements with none of the candidates other than Pleich presenting specific proposals to decriminalize homeless folks and deal with the upcoming winter shelter/police violence crisis.

TO READ OR MAKE COMMENTS GO TO:  https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/10/14/18792238.php

Follow-Up on ACLU’s Forum on Houselessness–Mike Rhodes Phone Interview
Date Sunday October 16
Time 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Location Details Free Radio Santa Cruz 101.3 FM, streams at http://www.freakradio.org.

Call in after 11:30 AM at 831-427-3772. Leave comments off-air at 831-423-4833.

Archives at http://radiolibre.org/brb/brb161016.mp3 (an hour and a half into the audio file).

Activist and writer Mike Rhodes, author of Dispatches from the War Zone and principal speaker at the ACLU Forum, follows up on his talk with a discussion of his tour and current strategies for fighting attacks on the poor in Fresno and elsewhere.
For more event information:
http://huffsantacruz.org

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POLICE AND RANGERS ROUST HOMELESS IN RAIN IN SANTA CRUZ

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by Robert Norse (rnorse3 [at] hotmail.com )

Friday Oct 14th, 2016 7:22 PM

Around 11 AM today, activist and car-dweller Jessica Nash reports that two vans of “Park Rangers” from Harvey West followed by 5 cars of SCPD in uniform pulled up on a dozen homeless people. They were sitting on the wall and under sheltering trees from the rain by the side of the sidewalk across from the Civic Auditorium today. The armed officers threatened to seize blankets, bikes, food, and belongings if the homeless didn’t move out into the bad weather.
MAKING SANTA CRUZ “LESS FRIENDLY” TO THE UNHOUSED
According to a phone report from Ms. Nash, the police told homeless people “get your stuff and get out or we’re gonna bring a truck, load it up, and take it away.” The rangers–already in trucks– appeared ready to remove homeless survival gear. Some were there watching property for others. Everyone was threatened to force them to leave.

The police raid came upon homeless sharing food and sheltering themselves from the first winter storm. The threats to take their blankets, their bikes, their food, and their belongings frightened the homeless into silence.

This apparently was not enough. Ms. Nash reported that when she tried to help folks gather up their stuff, one cop began threatening her. “You’ve got a car? Well, get in it and leave. I can impound it right now–I’m so pissed off.”

Nash reported the dialogue continued: “Don’t make me inpound your car. You have expired tags. I’m sick of people not listening.” Nash, with her sheltering car at stake, said she was forced to leave.

The “deportation and removal” action reportedly took about an hour. She noted rangers were also armed with tasers and guns.

DEEPER DISCRIMINATION AND INDIFFERENCE BY POLITICANS AND POVERTY PIMPS
Ms. Nash has sought legal help to deal with disability discrimination at the Homeless (Lack of) Services Center [HLOSC] at 115 Coral St. She claims she was repeatedly being denied services because of bedbugs she claims came from the still vermin-ridden Paul Lee Loft. She spoke before City Council on Tuesday about the wretched conditions and left in tears. Officials promised no action, claiming it was a County matter. However the City provides over $100,000 a year to the HLOSC and the HLOSC Board usually includes a Council member.

There is currently no walk-in shelter in Santa Cruz. Waiting lists for the HLOSC are either full or require a “pathway to housing” (i.e. a monthly check). The City Hall sidewalk is the site of a weekly Sleep-Out there by the Freedom Sleepers, now going into their 67th week next Tuesday.

Nash noted Mayor Cynthia Mathews had not returned her calls. Matthews–running for reelection–voted to continue to make the act of sleeping outside after 11 PM a crime costing several hundred dollars in fines, for which hundreds of citations have been issued in the last few years. Even the token 100-space Winter Shelter Armory is not slated to be funded and opened this year (with the homeless population at 1000-2000).

READ AND LEAVE COMMENTS AT https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/10/14/18792238.php

Around 11 AM today, activist and car-dweller Jessica Nash reports that two vans of “Park Rangers” from Harvey West followed by 5 cars of SCPD in uniform pulled up on a dozen homeless people. They were sitting on the wall and under sheltering trees from the rain by the side of the sidewalk across from the Civic Auditorium today. The armed officers threatened to seize blankets, bikes, food, and belongings if the homeless didn’t move out into the bad weather.

 

HUFF meets yet again; today (10-12) 11 AM at the Sub Rosa 703 Pacific Ave. next to the Bike Church

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On the HUFF agenda:   Homeless (Lack of) Service Center Clients Speak Out!–Discussion of the Latest Petition Denouncing Bedbugs and Bad SErvice; Solidarity with Marysville facing Deportation on October 17th; Tabling at the UN Street Fair; Confronting the City Council Election; Update on the City Council Meeting and Freedom SleepOut #66…and more.   All laced with coffee and catcalls.

As Weather grows Chilly, Freedom SleepOut #66 Keeps the Homeless Fires Burning

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Date 10/11/2016

Time 3:00 PM Tuesday – 9 AM Wednesday (approximately)
Location Details Concrete beddown along Center St. between Locust and Church across from the Main Library
Event Type Protest
Organizer/AuthorKeith McHenry (story by Norse)

THE VIGIL CONTINUES
The weekly public education and do-it-yourself safe sleeping zone squad will be on the sidewalk starting around 3 PM for the 66th time tonight. Food Not Bombs will be providing food, along with likely soup from India Joze’s kitchen, compliments of Jumbo Gumbo Joe Schultz. Coffee usually appears in the morning.

Smart phones, cameras, and/or video cameras are always welcome. Donations of blankets, sleeping bags, food, and friendship are also encouraged.

Freedom Sleepers and their supporters are invited to dose down a second time with coffee and commentary at the 11 AM HUFF (Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom) meeting at the Sub Rosa Cafe at 703 Pacific

SIGN THIEVES ON SKATEBOARDS
Food Not Bombs cooks report some wandering skateboarders made off with the Food Not Bombs signs last weekend–on two successive days. Whether this was done to express political hostility or to get tokens of FNB by admirers is unknown. However the FNB gang would like the signs returned if possible.

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HUFF Surveys the Scene Meeting at Sub Rosa 11 AM 10-5 Wednesday 703 Pacific

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HUFF goes through cup after cup of  coffee while considering (a) the aftermath of the Salinas crackdown, (b) the upcoming “Houselessness Forum” thrown by the ACLU Wednesday night 7 PM at the MAH downtown, (c) conditions at the Homeless Lack of Services Center in a phone call at 1 PM between Andy Carcello and his HUD rep, (d)  lots of other stuff.

Organizing a demonstration /homeless mayor

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Freedom SleepOut #65 on Eve of ACLU Forum,
Follows Salinas Shutdown of Flagpole Community
Date Tuesday October 04 Time 5:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Location Details At the center of City Government–where peaceful protest is only allowed before 10 PM–when peaceful assembly becomes illegal on the City Hall grounds. Folks then assemble with sleeping gear on the sidewalk at the entranceway across from the main library on Center St. between Locust and Church. It goes from late afternoon Tuesday to mid-morning Wednesday.
Event Type Protest Organizer/AuthorKeith McHenry (story by Norse)
RELENTLESS PERSISTENCE
Building on more than a year of weekly defiance to the gentrification Sleeping Ban law, Freedom Sleepers and well wishers will again gather to create a Safe Sidewalk Sleeping zone for the houseless community October 4th.

Activists elsewhere credit the Santa Cruz Freedom SleepOut’s with inspiring both Berkeley’s “First They Came for the Homeless” protest encampment at their Old City Hall last winter and Salinas’s six-month long nightly Flagpole Community at Salinas City Hall.

The latter ended Saturday night as Salinas police threatened enforcement of a new harsh anti-sleeping law passed by City Council there on September 20th. (See Final Rally at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuNxm1BliuY and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbVOuvpnk-I .

Flagpole freedom fighter Wes White says he’ll be continuing the fight in the courts, on the street, and in the upcoming election campaign where he is running for Salinas City Council.

FREE SPEECH FREEZEOUT
Last week, the Mayor Cynthia Mathews, defying the Brown (Public Meetings) Act, moved Oral Communications from its printed agenda time at 5 PM nearly two hours ahead shutting out half a dozen would-be speakers. With no indication of this radical shift on the printed agenda, the cranky queen of cutback ended the meeting at mid-afternoon, ignoring tenants rights, homeless suffering, and other outstanding issues that are not acknowledged, must less debated at the City Council Talk Shop.

The previous City Council practice was to hold the token speaking time for the public at or after 5 PM. If Council business were concluded before that time, the Council would recess and return. Not under Mayor “Two Minute” Mathews (so called because she has regularly cut back public comment, even when no other items were pressing and few speakers were in line).

There’s no meeting of the Shitty Council this week (though the public bathrooms at City Hall will presumably continue to be closed “for repairs” or “because of vandalism”).

AN ACTIVIST SPEAKS OUT
Santa Cruz Bus Rider’s Association Founder and Freedom Sleeper Supporter Elise Casby wrote: “Last Tuesday, I went to view the agenda for the day, which is usually posted up next to the public council chambers in glass cases. The doors to the chambers were locked, and there were two (2) notes taped up on the door. Both notices announced that the council had more or less done away with any way to participate that day. Oops.

On the notes taped up to the locked doors, in the city council chamber room where I thought an actual City Council meeting would be taking place at that time, there was something stated about an agenda item that had been pulled at the behest of a certain citizen. There was something else stated about the fact that the council would be having a closed session somewhere- in a different part of the city. There was a little more, but in truth, this was a very problematic move by Santa Cruz City Council and possibly the city attorney, and most of all, for all of us citizens.

EX-PATRIOT FREEDOM SLEEPER ANNOUNCES BOOK
Curbhugger Chris Doyen, a tireless and articulate media activist who led the 2010 PeaceCamp protest at the County Building and City Hall, has announced a new book (https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/09/29/18791787.php) on his work with Anonymous.

Now going by the nomme de guerre of Commander X, Curbhugger provided a storm of media for the 3-month long protest against the Sleeping Ban that apparently forced the City Attorney and his yes-men on City Council to pass MC 6.36.055 which required dismissal of all Camping Ban tickets if victims were on the River St. Shelter or Paul Lee Loft waiting lists.

The Homeless (Lack of) Services Center Phil Kramer and the HLOSC Board have narrowed the Paul Lee loft entrance criteria to having a “pathway to housing”. This requires participants to have government or private income; additional “don’t enable the homeless” policies ban folks outside without funds from the meals during the day. The River St. Shelter under Monica Martinez’s Encompass program still “allows” phone sign-up and confirmation at 459-6644.

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