October 22nd "Say No to Police Abuse" Day Protest Against Racial and Homeless Profiling

October 22nd is a Day of National Concern and Protest against police violence. (See http://www.october22.org/ )

In Santa Cruz, a collusive City Council prepares to hand greater enforcement and banishment powers over to individual officers and rangers with it steroid-enhanced expansion of Stay Away Orders (See "Nasty Anti-Homeless Stay-Away Laws to Get Exponentially Worse" at http://www.october22.org/)

Recently there have been reports of an SCPD assault on Oliver Howard on October 11th ("Witnesses Report Excessive Use of Force by SCPD during Arrest near Court House" at https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2014/10/20/18763064.php

The review of the citation records of Community Service Officer B. Barnett has revealed a disturbing pattern apparently targeting homeless persons and disproportionately citing African-Americans.
(See attached citation record of Officer Barnett)

Nearly 3/4 of Barnett's citations in his ignoble career downtown have involved citing homeless people for essentially victimless crimes (sitting, smoking, skateboarding). Nearly 10% of his citations were for African-Americans in a county that is 1.4% black by a recent census.

Other recent incidents of alleged racial profiling written up on this website include

"Santa Cruz Police and First Alarm Brutalize and Arrest People for Being Black and Homeless" at https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2014/08/21/18760436.php

"Selective Enforcement of Smoking Ban, Obstruction of Video Reporting--Report to the Chief!" at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2014/08/02/18759451.php .

A prior protest is shown and described here: "Protesters Demand Faster Response from SCPD Regarding Record's Requests" at
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2014/09/23/18761997.php

The ongoing attack on homeless people is intensifying as winter gets closer as church programs are cut back, city council rubberstamps harsher laws, and the SCPD continues in its role in an ongoing Class War.

The SCPD continues to seek more money for surveillance software (license plate readers), declines to provide records of its contacts with other agencies re: military-style equipment and other forms of prepared repression against political protesters such as those in the Occupy Movement.

We will continue to be organizing volunteers to defend the rights of homeless people (Homeless Encampment Defense) as well as co-ordinate Copwatch efforts city-wide.

Come on down for "Don't Beat 'em, Eat 'Em'" brownies and Mid-Day Coffee. Hoist a sign to defend the rights of all of us in public spaces sick of a militarized downtown.