February FightBack Continues: Freedom SleepOut #32 Tuesday 2-16

Posted on February 15, 2016 by huffsantacruz

TO COMMENT AND VIEW FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS, GO TO: https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/02/14/18782944.php

Title:	The 32nd Time: Freedom Sleeper Activists Hit City Hall Sidewalk
START DATE:	Tuesday February 16
TIME:	5:00 PM – 5:00 AM
Location Details:
Near the sacred grounds of City Hall at 809 Center St., in the courtyard until driven out at 10 PM by the anti-homeless “no public access at night” law in “progressive” Santa Cruz.
Event Type:	Protest
Contact Name	Toby Nixon
Email Address	tobynixon [at] gms.com
Phone Number	408-582-4152
Address
NUMBER THIRTY-TWO Santa Cruz’s homeless population still faces tickets and stay-away orders from parks at night, harassment in public spaces and buildings during the day, and the Sleeping Ban everywhere in the City after 11 PM. In solidarity with hundreds who have no shelter, Freedom Sleepers will gather at 5 PM and through the night for the 32nd Tuesday night weekly sleep-out. Last week’s Freedom SleepOut (#31) reportedly included 20 folks throughout the night. MEDIA BEGINS ON MAYOR LANE’S SLEEPING BAN REFORM In today’s Sunday Sentinel, David Grishaw Jones of the Peace United Church of Christ has published a strong defense of the right to sleep at night–specifically criminalized here since 1978. See http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/opinion/20160213/the-rev-david-grishaw-jones-sleeping-should-not-be-against-the-law Silver-tongued Steve Pleich has written an article for the on-line Street Spirit newspaper (soon to be available in hard copy in Santa Cruz at the Sub Rosa Cafe): http://www.thestreetspirit.org/santa-cruz-activists-join-together-to-defend-right-to-sleep/ on March 8 City Council meeting with move to strike “sleep”… Lobbying the Sleep-toxic City Council continues from the more rarified regions of closed liberal and religious groups. LOBBYING COMING UP James Weller writes: “Don Lane says the most effective way to support his proposal (which he plans to introduce to the City Council on March 8), if you live in Santa Cruz, is to e-mail the City Council directly – citycouncil [at] cityofsantacruz.com. Say that Municipal Code Section 6.36 should be amended to remove from its text all references to “sleep,” “sleeping,” “sleeping bag,” “blanket,” and “bedding,” “in vehicles.” ” The danger here–as with past such limited efforts–is that once Council nixes Lane’s reform, “respectable” liberals will simply stay home or rely on loudly-touted but never-completed legal action when what’s needed is intensified and focused protests. OTHER AVENUES Also a distant possibility–a lawsuit against the ban backed by the National Law Center for Homelessness and Poverty– still in the organizing stage. Former liberal governor Jerry Brown has reportedly also told a local establishment liberal that he may consider the creation of safe sleeping zones supported by the California Conservation Corp. DIRECT ACTION PROSPECTS More direct action by Toby Nixon and HUFF activists being done or under consideration includes free streaming police harassment of homeless sleepers, visible daytime homeless protests outside the relevant city hall offices, and ThugWatch on Pacific Avenue–housed activists monitoring the uniformed First Alarm Security “homeless watchers”. STILL MORE Further postings on the 32nd Community SleepOut can be found at http://www.facebook.com/events/1679782112277618/ Check out the great poster by Warming Center activist Brent Adams: http://www.facebook.com/santacruzsanctuary/photos/a.525272064184570.120239.525270847518025/1106964959348608/?type=3&theater ATTACKS ON HOMELESS ELSEWHERE Global Day of Action against the Arrest of Food Not Bombs in Moscow. http://www.facebook.com/events/185674255131444/ New Salinas law attacks Chinatown homeless encampment: http://www.thecalifornian.com/story/news/my-safety/2016/02/10/salinas-amends-homeless-property-ordinance/80087978/ http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1774021562832523&set=gm.1739915619572928&type=3&theater HUFF activist Robert Norse composed and posted this announcement with input from Pat Colby and Steve Pleich.