Police Abuse Downtown? Vote Tomorrow at the BS (Bookshop Santa Cruz) protest 2 PM 10-7

The SCPD is circling to pick the bones of Councilmember Tony Madrigal. Madrigal was the only Councilmember who voted against the SCPD-backed Triple Fine Zones ordinance. This law has more to do with raising tow revenue, discouraging Halloween street fair attendance, and supercharging the SCPD than with public safety.

Madrigal. in opposing the Triple Fines Zone, mentioned "the possibility" of racial profiling last year at Halloween. Madrigal described an incident he saw where he and former Citizens Police Review Board head Mark Halfmoon witnessed police patting down and interrogating a Latino group. The episode was described by Tony on Free Radio at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/09/16/18447869.php " .

In response the Sentinel and SCPD denounced him immediately. The entire City Council piled on September 25th one by one savaging Madrigal. Police lined the Council chamber, some demanding he resign. The public was not informed in advance in any clear way that a witchhunt would be the main feature of the afternoon. Some did return that evening to defend Madrigal.

I discuss the issue at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/09/16/18447869.php?show_comments= 1#18449777 . The issue is police power to set the agenda at City Council--from the Sleeping Ban (back in 1978) to the Downtown Ordinances (1994, 2002, 2003) to Weak Rules that Allow Police Political Surveillance (2006) to the absurd 15-Minute Parking Lots and Garages Law (2006, 2007) to the Triple Fine Zones at Halloween (2006, 2007) to the latest disproportionate attacks on Madrigal for a brief comment about his own experience with the SCPD last Halloween.

City Council's utterly spineless response to this manufactured and absurd rightist outrage is truly chilling. Are we to believe that Council members cannot express their views in public critical of the SCPD? That's the way it's looking.

Come on down and cast your ballot 2-3 PM tomorrow in front of Bookshop Santa Cruz. Is the SCPD selectively enforcing laws (i.e. one procedure for the rich, one for the poor) and profiling (i.e. making stops based on appearance rather than real criminal behavior)? What's your experience and opinion?

We'll also be asking your opinion of the Sleeping Ban, Coonerty's stonewalling, and the bookshop boycott. Cast your vote and let us all know what you think!


UPDATES

Mayor Reilly has recently (Thursday evening 10-4 around 7 PM) gone on John Sanditch's show--I think, on KSCO. Has anyone made a tape of this show. Apparently there were a lot of call-in's asking Mayor Reilly to explain why she felt it should be a crime to sleep or cover up with blankets after 11 PM outside on public property, given the acknowledged absence of shelter.

The Mayor has also recently met with HRO (Human Rights Organization) activists Bernard Klitzner and Bob Patton. Though the interview was not recorded, Bernard and Bob promise to give us a blow-by-blow on indybay soon. Bernard may call in to Free Radio Santa Cruz Sunday October 7th in the late morning. The show will be archived at http://www.radiolibre.org/brb/brb071007.mp3

One tidbit: Bob and Bernard asked Reilly her opinion of the BS Santa Cruz boycott. She stated "no comment". Reilly experienced a similar boycott against her bakery on Mission St. back in 2001. The boycott was an activist response to her parking ban on vehicles 3-5 AM in Harvey West (directed at homeless vehicles)--a prohibition that ultimately spread like a cancer to downtown, the West Side, and other places. She said the picketing at her Laurel and Misson St. Bakery ("Emily's Bakery") (a) angered patrons, (b) increased her business, and (c) made it "difficult" for employees.

Sentinel editor Tom Honig has promised to print my response to the Sentinel's inflammatory and defamatory editorial ["As We See It: Wrong tactics on ban/ Recent vandalism, boycott threats don't help activists make case to overturn Santa Cruz "camping ban"" http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2007/September/21/edit/stories /01edit.htm]

Foggybottom Bruce Bratton writes an internet column that is pretty good as far as it goes (not very far) at http://www.brattononline.com/ . He was upset with "Know Your Rights" activists Wes Modes (aka Rico Thunder) and Grant Wilson for joining the protest against the Sleeping Ban back on August 12th (Wes did his Rights workshop there; Wilson was a spectator) In response, Bratton announced he was ostracizing both, excluding news of them (as well as me, I guess) from his columns. Thomas Leavitt writes about this in "Of Bans and Bookshops -An Open Letter" at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/10/01/18450695.php .

Seems that Rotkin, Coonerty, and now Bratton are big on "banning" folks from events, stores, and columns respectively. Privileged patriarchs of a feather perch together?

HUFF and HRO have given themselves a breather; the last Boycott Bigotry event was two weeks ago when we paraded with the Trash Orchestra to the S.F. Mime Troupe's San Lorenzo benchlands performance of "Making a Killing". This is chronicled at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/09/21/18448928.php "Boycotting Bigotry at the BS SantaCruz Joins the Parade!". Some nice color photos of our homeless-aphobic City Council can be found there for downloading (Make Your Own Mask!).

With UCSC students returning, we hope that some folks will be interested in doing a little more than charity food kitchens and homeless surveys, perhaps kicking down for some direct lobbying, political protest, CD, and creative homeless resistance!

Spare the Bookshop Santa Cruz's bathrooms, please! (See "An Open Letter to The Shit Smearers" at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/10/02/18451433.php). Demand Coonerty move to open up real 24-hour Public Bathrooms instead of moaning about his own and City Hall's and using their misuse to justify discrediting the legitimate arguments of homeless advocates: Call Coonerty at: 423-8939.

For a more extended discussion of Supervisor (and Bookshop Owner Neal) Coonerty's remarks denouncing the protesters, see "Potty Talk" at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/09/20/18448714.php .

To check out Vice-Mayor Coonerty's rationale (or non-rationale) for denouncing and banning protesters, see
"Vice-Mayor Bans Activists from Bookshop Santa Cruz" at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/08/26/ 18443447.php

Come on down to the still-free zone on the sidewalk outside the Bookshop Santa Cruz at 2 PM to cast your ballot: Is the SCPD selectively enforcing laws and profiling? Is the Sleeping Ban a good thing? What about this boycott of the bookstore?

Don't forget the Monday October 8th 6 PM meeting of the Measure K Commission at City Hall--another group successfully attacked by the SCPD and their frontman in the City Attorney's office, John Barisone.

Come and speak against the Parking Lot Assembly Ban 3 PM Tuesday October 9th at City Council. Then get ready to fight the law with direct protests.
COME ON DOWN TO THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF THE BOOKSHOP (1520 PACIFIC) 2 PM SUNDAY AND