Author Archives: huffsantacruz

Bathrobespierre’s Broadsides hops back to 2014 to warn against the “Box in the Artists” Blue Boxes Downtown 6-8 PM on 101.3 FM and freakradio.org

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 Flashback to November 6, 2014.  The show has my discussion of the “Dots for Dodos” as I call the Performance Pens, or “Blue Boxes”  set up on Pacific Avenue to restrict performers, vendors, tablers, and others with a “display device” then proposed by Council Public Space Abolitionists Don Lane and Pamela Comstock.  With a “Vanish the Vendors” ordinance coming up at City Council on May 10th–the discussion is particularly relevant.

There are also plenty of street interviews along with commentary from “Catch-Her-If-You-Can” Katie.   
None of the times mentioned for meetings and other events are current, of course.
The show broadcasts at 101.3 FM and streams on the internet at freakradio.org at 6-8 PM (May 5th).  It will archive at http://www.radiolibre.org/brb/brb160505.mp3.

HUFF meets with Councilmember Posner: 11 AM Sub Rosa 703 Pacific Wednesday May 4th

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HUFFsters emerging from the 10 AM Freedom Sleepers Meet-and-Murmur get together at the Sub Rosa Cafe will be presenting its thoughts to Councilmember Micah Posner at 11 AM.   Also on the agenda:  The “Give a Shit” campaign with a HUFF focus on the absence of 24-hour bathrooms in Santa Cruz; updates from Salinas, Sacramento, and Eureka,  strategy for organizing against the upcoming Vanish the Vendors law  due back at City Council May 10th, solidarity with Alex and Joff–artists rearrested on Sunday  and more!

Come early at 10 AM to work on Freedom SleepOut #44 with Toby Nixon. 

CRACKDOWNS IN EUREKA AND SANTA CRUZ: FREEDOM SLEEPOUT #43 CARRIES ON

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Eureka Readies Homeless Removal as Santa Cruz Freedom Sleepers Gather for 43rd SleepOut
Date Tuesday May 03
Time 5:00 PM – 5:00 AM
Location Details
The event actually runs from 5 PM Tuesday to around 9 AM Wednesday at that old familiar spot–the sidewalk and City Hall Courtyard across Center St. from the Main Library, though many homeless sleep under the eaves of nearby buildings (like the library, Civic Auditorium, and Greek Orthodox Church).
Event Type Protest
Contact Name Toby Nixon (posted by Norse)
Email Address tobynixon [at] gms.com
Phone Number 408-582-4152
Address
CITY HALL SIDEWALK THE USUAL FREEDOM SITE
Persistent activists with the Freedom Sleepers will return this Tuesday for another night on the bricks and the blacktop in front of City Hall.

Their numbers reportedly grew last week to include 15 or 20 at various times throughout the night. Jumbogumbo Joe Schultz provided coffee; Troublemaker Toby friend chicken; and a tripled “security force” of First Alarm costumed “guards” provided comic relief.

No City Council meeting slated for this week, but Keith McHenry of Food Not Bombs announced he’d be there during the afternoon cooking and leafleting to restore the survival rights of unhoused community versus the City’s anti-homeless Sleeping Ban and Park Closing laws.

OTHER CITIES
Meanwhile up Eureka way, there was a mixed victory–temporarily securing the rights of 11 folks outside, while abandoning the majority to the threatened police sweeps.
See “Mixed ruling: Judge prevents Eureka from evicting 11 homeless; city says plan to proceed” at http://www.times-standard.com/article/NJ/20160429/NEWS/160429840

 In Sacramento, in the wake of a lengthy day-and-night protest/encampment at City Hall, attorney Mark Merin said he was applying for permits for homeless sleeping spots. This was suggested by city officials after their recent trip to Seattle with its longstanding tent villages.

In Salinas, Wes White and the Monterey County Homeless Advocates have spent more than a month camping outside their City Hall at night, demanding abolition of the anti-homeless “leave your stuff on the sidewalk, face seizure”. Wes gave a long update at http://radiolibre.org/brb/brb160424.mp3 (3 hours and 28 minutes into the audio file).

STREET ARTIST CRACKDOWN CONTINUES
In Santa Cruz, Keith McHenry reports that street artists Alex Skelton and Joff Jones were arrested and their artwork seized again—two weeks after their first arrest. Their “crime” was presumably being “outside the blue brackets/dots/boxes” or perhaps “declining to move-along every hour.”

Assistant 2nd Class Scott Collins has continued to decline to meet with those wanting to make suggestions and ask questions regarding the “blue boxes” law—though he has responded to e-mail. The “Vanish the Vendors” laws are likely to be returning to Council on May 12th. A Public Records Act shows much communication between Collins, fellow bureaucrat Julie Hendee, and various merchants downtown intent on restricting if not eliminating street vendors downtown.

Councilmember Micah Posner will be at the May 4th HUFF meeting at 11 AM [Sub Rosa Café, 703 Pacific) to discuss the issue. He has been asked to bring a copy of the proposed law–created with much merchant, but little if any street performer input.

Freedom Sleepers will meet Wednesday morning at 10 AM at the Sub Rosa to lick wounds and plot strategems.

For more event information:
http://freedomsleepers.org/

HUFF hits the streets noon Saturday April 30th to Fight the Sidewalk Shutdown Law

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https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/04/29/18785787.php

Taking Back Pacific Avenue and Defending Artist, Vendors, & the Community Against Bad Laws
Date Saturday April 30
Time 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Location Details
Soquel and Pacific on Pacific Avenue outside Forever 21. Or whereever the wind blows or the police push us.
Event Type Protest
Contact Name Robert Norse
Email Address rnorse3 [at] hotmail.com
Phone Number 831-423-4833
Address 309 Cedar St. P.O. Box 14B, Santa Cruz, 95060
Join us at noon on Pacific to TAKE BACK THE PUBLIC SPACE ! We’ll share coffee, brownies, strong opinions, and heart space with all comers.

HUFF [Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom] is tabling to raise public awareness about and action around…

+++ The upcoming attack on vendors and other non-commercial folks on the street by the City Council with its new “Vanish the Vendors” ordinance. The law reportedly returns to City Council on May 10th. See http://scsire.cityofsantacruz.com/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=712&doctype=AGENDA [item #22]. My summary is at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/04/11/18785162.php .

+++ Support for and solidarity with artists on Pacific Avenue, notably two arrested on Saturday April 16 for “displaying artwork outside the blue dotted area’. See “Pacific Avenue Santa Cruz: The Joff Jones and Alex Skelton Report on Freedom in the USA” at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/04/25/18785582.php .

+++ Join the HUFF campaign to open the City Hall bathrooms 24-hours a day, reopen the closed Soquel Ave. garage bathroom, and bring Santa Cruz into the 21st Century on elementary health and sanitation matters.

+++ Support the HUFF campaign to replace “forbidden zones” blue “performance pens”, and “move along” laws with the successful Voluntary Street Performers Guidelines–which worked well from 1980 to 2002, until torpedoed by a merchant-hamstrung City Council. See http://www.buskersadvocates.org/saalegalSantaCruzGuide.html .

Bring video and audio devices if you’ve got ’em (phones will do)!

Bathrobespierre’s Broadsides “No Flashbacks” Show covers latest City Hall Dog and Pony Show with lots of growls from the unhoused outside 6-8 PM tonight!

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Special coverage of Freedom SleepOut #42 and Council Capers before it; Interviews with the unrepentant unhoused:  Dreamcatcher, Brent Adams, Sgt. Bush, Sherry, and others.

The show broadcasts at 101.3 FM and streams on the internet at freakradio.org at 6-8 PM (April 28).  It will archive at http://www.radiolibre.org/brb/brb160428.mp3.

HUFFing In Stormy Weather: 11 AM Sub Rosa 703 Pacific Wednesday April 27th

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HUFFsters shaking off sleep from Freedom SleepOut #42 will be looking into the anti-homeless Bathroom Lockdown, the ongoing Salinas City Hall SleepOut nightly at their City Hall against the “set down your bag during the day and lose it” law, the soon-to-surface Vanish the Vendors law coming back to City Council, the new front of resistance opened up by artists Alex and Joff on Pacific Avenue, as well as whatever we can cram in that doesn’t get in the way of some concrete action.  

Come early at 10 AM to work on Freedom SleepOut #43 with Toby Nixon.

 

Sleepers and Gardeners Unite? Freedom SleepOut #42 on April 26th at City Hall.

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Support Beach Flats Garden Defenders Then Defend the Right to Sleep– Freedom SleepOut #42
Date Tuesday April 26
Time 5:00 PM – 5:00 AM
Location Details
Outside, Inside, and Outside City Council at Church and Center across from the Main Library in Downtown Santa Cruz
Event Type Protest
Contact Name Toby Nixon (post by Norse)
Email Address tobynixon [at] gms.com

BEACH FLATS GARDEN FIGHT-BACK?
The 7 PM Session of the City Council will “consider” a Beach Flats Garden Update and Recommendations with a motion to accept the staff’s sell-out of 1/3rd of the Garden and direct them to continue to “work on” a long-term plan—as they’ve colluded in bulldozing 1/3rd of the garden in collusion with the Seaside Company.

An earlier meeting at 1:30 at closed session involving negotiating the lease for the Garden with the Seaside Company smooth-and-slippery City Manager Martin Bernal is a more likely plae where the real action will happen. The main part of the session is closed to the public (go figure!). However, there is an “open interval” at 1:30 for public comment which can be attended, though it’s not clear whether advocates for the garden will be there in any numbers.

At prior meetings Beach Flats supporters have rolled in in record numbers and then rolled out—letting Council and the slimy staff proceed along its sell-out path.
Councilmember Posner has circulated a constituent letter [relevant parts of which are attached below] noting he plans an eminent domain motion with the City forcing the Seaside Company to sell the Garden (over the recommendation of the City’s staff, of course).

Those interested in Metro cutbacks and hiway widening giveaways might also be interested in checking out item #21 on the afternoon agenda.

IGNORING HOMELESS ISSUES BY “STUDYING” THEM
Unmentioned by Posner is item #20 the “Homeless Coordinated Non-Response” (actually titled “Response”—but that’s false advertising).

This is a phony face-saving proposal to “study” a Homeless Task Force proposal and to shift responsibility for the City’s punitive laws to the County. It’s the latest non-action taken in response to the crisis faced by the unhoused community (and so to the trembling NIMBY and merchant communities fearful of their visible presence).

The crisis: the Winter Armory Shelter closed earlier this month and with it the end of all walk-up emergency shelter for the spring, summer, and fall for the City’s 1000-2000 folks outside. Instead of putting on the agenda proposals for safe places to sleep proposed by Phil Posner and Steve Pleich (a very limited proposal), the staff is doing cosmetic cover by proposing more “direction” and consideration of a joint City-County Task Force to restudy the obvious.

EARLIER RELEVANT PROPOSALS IGNORED
See the clear proposals of the former Homeless Issues Task Force at http://sccounty01.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/bds/Govstream/BDSvData/non_legacy/agendas/2000/20000502/PDF/020.pdf which include, of course, ending the Camping Ban.

HUFF described that Task Force as a “farce” 16 years ago because its intent and effect was to divert then-powerful activist energy. Its ultimate proposals, though, were good ones—largely ignored by City Councils since in favor of punitive police funding. Such diverting is actually unnecessary now that Don Lane’s “troops” have all disappeared over the hills or into focus groups and Posner has remained silent.

Still the 2000 Homeless Issues Task Force report contains many relevant and powerful suggestions which need to be actively advanced, not ignored with the same ground being “studied” again.

DEFENDING THE ARTISTS AND RECLAIMING PUBLIC SPACE ON PACIFIC
Meanwhile downtown HUFF set up its protest table right next to artists Alex Skelton and Joff Jones—who continue to refuse to be “blue boxed” on Pacific Avenue and refuse to “move along”. Their court cases come up in May. See “Pacific Avenue Santa Cruz: The Joff Jones and Alex Skelton Report on Freedom in the USA” at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/04/25/18785582.php

 City Council’s “Vaporize the Vendors” law will not be coming up until the first meeting in May. Will the courageous action of Alex and Joff and others like them make the Council’s threats a laughing stock?

ESTABLISHING SLEEP SPACE ON THE SIDEWALK AND THE BRICKS
Freedom Sleepers #42 will continue to have Troublemaker Toby livestreaming any untoward police and security thug behavior Tuesday night. Limited quantities of food and drink are likely.

Toby will meet with interested activists at 10 AM Wednesday morning at the Sub Rosa to review the night’s events and strategize for the night ahead. The regular HUFF meeting will be at 11 AM there as usual.

Though citations have reportedly been given in the last week around the library building, Freedom Sleepers on Tuesday have been pointedly ignored by the armed Ticketeers.

Contact HUFF at 831-423-4833 if you wish to join, organize, or support protests.

For more info on the Freedom Sleepers, go to: http://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomsleepers/ and/or http://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=AAA%20Freedom%20Sleepers

LEAVE COMMENTS AT https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/04/25/18785621.php 

408-582-4152

 

 

 

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Salinas City Hall SleepOut, Supes Constrict-Cannabis-Cultivating, Joff and Alex Solidarity protests–on Bathrobespierre’s Broadsides 9:30 AM today Sunday 4-24-16

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A show with no flashbacks !  Pacific Avenue Protest Solidarity with Arrested Freedom Artists Joff Jones and Alex Skelton..Street Interviews with Gary Currey, racially harassed for sleeping…Thursday interview on Alex & Joff’s recent arrest..Earlier Joff interview on their August 2015 arrest…Nick Bulaich’s Danger Report from Cannabis Negative Board of Supervisors …Red Church Interviews…Freedom SleepOut #41 Interviews…Wes White’s Extensive Salinas Update on the Month-long Sleepout outside their City Hall…and more!

The show broadcasts at 101.3 FM and streams on the internet at freakradio.org at 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM (April 24).  It will archive at http://www.radiolibre.org/brb/brb160424.mp3.

FRSC’s Bathrobespierre’s Broadsides Flashes Back to June 22, 2000: Heated Debates and Angry Analysis

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Tonight’s show returns to June 20, 2000.  We follow City Council’s retreat from its previous endorsement of the Safe Sleeping Zones in the industrial areas, jewelry seizure by the SCPD, Robert Steffan–the Pink Guy who previously lived in a garbage bag outside Bunny’s Shoes, a lengthy analysis of City Council treachery against the homeless by Chamber of Commerce CEO Mike Schmidt and insider Activist David Silva, as well as a dialogue on the Nueva Vista “oust the Latinos” project then called the Dolphin-Lee project.

The show broadcasts at 101.3 FM and streams on the internet at freakradio.org at 6-8 PM (April 21).  It will archive at http://www.radiolibre.org/brb/brb160421.mp3.

HUFF Back on Pacific Avenue In Support of Artists, Performers, and Other Riff Raff 1 PM Thursday 4-21

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HUFF Tabling Against Police Repression Downtown
Date Thursday April 21
Time 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Location Details
Pacific Avenue near Soquel next to Forever 21 or nearby
Event Type Protest
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 http://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 http://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.

For more event information:
http://huffsantacruz.org


TO LEAVE COMMENTS AND VIDEO:  https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/04/20/18785423.php

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