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Indybay Feature

Protest Picket Against Punitive Privilege Resumes at Bookshop Santacruz Sunday 9-2 2 PM

by Robert Norse (rnorse3 [at] hotmail.com)
Activists will resume their picket of Vice-Mayor Coonerty, hiding in his Bookshop Santa Cruz. Coonerty refuses to explain how and why the city police continue to arrest homeless people for sleeping when such behavior has been outlawed by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Also under investigation: Mayor Reilly's refusal to meet with homeless sleepers and Councilmember (and ACLU Board of Directors member) Rotkin's calling the cops to block a signbearer from going in to the ACLU meeting last Sunday. Help corner the politicians and get some answers!
Sleeping Ban citations continue even though shelter shrinks. Two churches have reportedly withdrawn from the minescule Emergency Interfaith Satellite Shelter Program.

Ranger John Wallace has posted new hours banning RVs from west-side parking lots during the day.
http://indybay.org/newsitems/2007/08/30/18444952.php
["Coastal Access Denied to Motorhomes and Trailers in Santa Cruz"]

Vice-Mayor Coonerty has escalated his offensive against peaceful protest in front of his Bookshop Santa Cruz.
http://indybay.org/newsitems/2007/08/26/18443447.php
["Vice-Mayor Bans Activists from Bookshop Santa Cruz"]

Mayor Reilly stood up homeless protesters again last Monday at a scheduled appointment without notice, giving her the dubious honor of having turned down three meetings with homeless protesters.
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/08/26/18443447.php?show_comments=1#18444168.
["Mayor Ducks Scheduled Homeless Meeting"]

Four-time Mayor, City Councilmember, and ACLU Board of Directors member physically blocked me from entering the open-to-the-public ACLU fund-raiser on Sunday, and called the police when I refused to "leave my signs outside".
http://indybay.org/newsitems/2007/08/26/18443532.php
["Activists ask ACLU to help end sleeping ban"]

SCPD PR mouth Zack Friendly is refusing to return calls to give details on his Sentinel smearjob Sunday August 19th. The SCPD is requiring $36 to view its thin record of "calls for service" on the week of Homies for the Homeless Sleepout at City Hall. Only 6 citations were issued at City Hall through the week. All of them for sleeping. In violation of the federal court dictum banning such citations as "cruel and unusual punishment".
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/08/23/18442736.php
["Striking Back Against Sentinel/SCPD Smears and "Progressive" Silence on the Sleeping Ban"}

For indybay articles on the Homies for the Homeless 6-night Sleepout at City Hall:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/08/16/18440985.php
["Ongoing Protest Against the Santa Cruz Sleeping Ban"]
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/08/13/18440341.php
["Sir! No Sir! and Sleeping Ban Protest at City Hall"]

For the recent history of these Bookshop Santa Cruz sidewalk protests go to:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/08/05/18438985.php
["Picket the Prejudiced: Week 6 at Book Shop Santa Cruz Sunday 2 PM August 5th"]


Mayor Reilly now refuses to make appointments at her City Council office but can be reached (according to Council staff) at 818-6490.

Councillmember Rotkin's home/business phone is 423-4209.

Vice-Mayor Coonerty's phone number is 423-8939.

You won't be reading about this in the Sentinel any time soon, I'm afraid.
To help out, come on down 2 PM Sunday September 2nd.
Or call HUFF at 423-4833.

Also tune in to Bathrobespierre's Broadsides tomorrow morning (Sunday) 9:30 AM-1 PM at 101.1 FM and http://www.freakradio.org. Call in at 427-3772.
Add Your Comments

Comments (Hide Comments)
by Becky Johnson
dannetteshoemakerplotswithsaponeagainstcityhallprotest.jpg
Is this a Dannette Shoemaker special??? Banning RV's during the daytime in a lot near the beach, despite its not being over-sized or illegal in any other way?

The Parks and Rec Czarina is truly a draconian fiend. She has made it her mission to harass, villify, and criminalize those residents who use public facilities if they are homeless.

Kick 'em when their down is her motto.

She should be fired. She doesn't reflect any of the progressive, liberal values which most Santa Cruz citizens believe in.
by celia
I saw some RVs parked in that lot with the new signs against mobile homes, but I bet they were tourists so they aren't enforcing this weekend. That area is actually optimum for someone without money. There are outdoor showers for surfers, and this is more humane than crowding all the homeless into a shelter shower or letting them stay dirty. People can't really get into bad activity when they are in a busy area.
by Fantasy Island
If Becky thinks she represents the "liberal values" that the citizenry of Santa Cruz wants, and Danika/Coonerty/Rotkin/Reilly don't represnt those values?

Then why do they get elected and hired? While at the same time, Becky has failed to force her agenda on the people of this town for 7+ years?


The citizenry has spoken, and Becky's voice is the distinct minority.
by metro
The sparse local movie paper says there is a crime wave on the west side where they think degenerates moved to. This is hard to verify.
http://www.metrosantacruz.com/metro-santa-cruz/08.29.07/nuz-0735.html

On another note, the anxiety over this Safeway remodeling makes it sound really scary. They want to redo the street grids because of it, and there was a lawsuit involving UC over the Safeway expansion. Maybe I'll try to avoid it.
http://www.metrosantacruz.com/metro-santa-cruz/08.29.07/news-0735.html


Thanks to the volunteers and supporters who showed up Sunday to encourage shoppers to "Think Twice Before Shopping at Sleeping Ban Central" and "Be the First On Your Block to Be Banned by the Bigotry Bookstore".

A number of folks presented statements to the Bookshop Management to be given to Vice-Mayor Ryan Coonerty asking him to come clean on the homeless rights issue. They were refused and directed to go to City Hall (closed on Sundays). Ryan declined to make an appearance and has not returned phone calls.

We distributed a number of fliers including the attached "Birds of a Feather Blackball Together--COONERTY, REILLY, & ROTKIN MOVE TO PUNISH ACTIVISTS" half-pager. Feel free to download and pass it on.

We shall be fliering again at the Farmer's Market Wednesday September 5th at 4 PM. Come on down and help spread the word and support the Sleeping Ban Lawsuit (to overturn the Ban as it has been dumped in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Richmond).

Recently word has reached us that the National Law Center On Homelessness and Poverty in Washington, D.C. is offering legal help to attorneys David Beauvais and Kate Wells.
by Robert Norse
The Coonerty Catchers distributed the following flier at the Farmer's Market today:

Support Homies for the Homeless & the Lawsuit To End the Sleeping Ban !

Saturday September 8th 2 PM 131 Front St. Human Rights Organization meets to plan further protest and legal strategies to restore basic human rights to the Santa Cruz homeless.

Sunday September 9th 9:30 AM – 1 PM 101.1 FMBathrobespierres Broadsides interviews the poor that the Reilly-Coonerty Council criminalizes with laws against sleep, sitting, & sparechanging

Sunday September 9th 2 PM 1520 Pacific Avenue Be the First On Your Block to Be Banned at the Bookshop Santa Cruz Join the poor-but-proud People's Plumbers as we solicit funds to pay for plunger repairs on the Bookshop's bathrooms. Vice-Mayor Coonerty banned activists Becky Johnson and Bernard Klitzner “for life” suggesting his bathrooms may have been vandalized as a “political act”. Encourage him to open real public bathrooms.

Tuesday September 11th 7 PM City Hall Speak up the unspeakable. Mayor Reilly and Vice-Mayor Coonerty return from six weeks of fun-in-the-sun and silence on the Sleeping Ban

Be the First On Your Block to be Banned at the Bookshop Santa Cruz !

Flier by HUFF (Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom) 423-4833
http://www.huffsantacruz.org 309 Cedar PMB #14B 9-5-07
Those interested in getting the latest updates on the Coonerty Circus will find it on tables at the event tomorrow night at the Vet's Hall in Downtown Santa Cruz. Feel free to to take fliers and distribute them.

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