Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
"Poor People Matter!": Round Four at Cop Corner
Import event into your personal calendar
Date:
Wednesday, January 07, 2015
Time:
2:00 PM
-
4:00 PM
Event Type:
Protest
Organizer/Author:
Robert Norse
Location Details:
Sidewalk outside the Santa Cruz Police Station at Center and Laurel along Laurel St. across from the Louden Nelson Center
For those who have suffered and don't want to suffer again the experience or the sight of over-policing, racial and class profiling, militarization, abusive threats and use of force downtown and elsewhere in town--
For those who want to show solidarity with the national movement against police brutality generally.
For those who are tired of the passivity and silence of local organizations who receive complaints, but do nothing.
This is the 4th in a series of public protests demanding radical reform in the Santa Cruz Police Department and calling the community to speak out about the encounters they've had with the armed and uniformed "protect and serve"--ers of Santa Cruz.
The SCPD has still not made available the racial ticketing record of Officer Bill Azua, as repeatedly requested under the Public Records Act Though required by law, Azua's arrest and citation record has been stripped of any information regarding the race of those he cited.
It took months to get the record of Officer Bradly Barnett. When we looked it over, we found he was citing African-Americans at 7 times their rate in the population. (See Barnett's complete record of Racial Citations at http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2014/10/21/barnett_cites_including_race.pdf )
An earlier protest on December 17 made this same demand along with other long-standing concerns. Like letting the public know which officers have been using tasers, choke-holds (allowed in Santa Cruz, banned in New York City), pain compliance holds, weapon draws, baton strikes, and so forth.
See "Keeping Up the Pressure: Wednesday Protest at Cop Corner " at https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2014/12/13/18765489.php .
For more info and a peek at the last protest, see ""Homeless People Matter" Protest Gets Honks, Volunteers, at Cop Corner" at https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2014/12/22/18765911.php
For those who want to show solidarity with the national movement against police brutality generally.
For those who are tired of the passivity and silence of local organizations who receive complaints, but do nothing.
This is the 4th in a series of public protests demanding radical reform in the Santa Cruz Police Department and calling the community to speak out about the encounters they've had with the armed and uniformed "protect and serve"--ers of Santa Cruz.
The SCPD has still not made available the racial ticketing record of Officer Bill Azua, as repeatedly requested under the Public Records Act Though required by law, Azua's arrest and citation record has been stripped of any information regarding the race of those he cited.
It took months to get the record of Officer Bradly Barnett. When we looked it over, we found he was citing African-Americans at 7 times their rate in the population. (See Barnett's complete record of Racial Citations at http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2014/10/21/barnett_cites_including_race.pdf )
An earlier protest on December 17 made this same demand along with other long-standing concerns. Like letting the public know which officers have been using tasers, choke-holds (allowed in Santa Cruz, banned in New York City), pain compliance holds, weapon draws, baton strikes, and so forth.
See "Keeping Up the Pressure: Wednesday Protest at Cop Corner " at https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2014/12/13/18765489.php .
For more info and a peek at the last protest, see ""Homeless People Matter" Protest Gets Honks, Volunteers, at Cop Corner" at https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2014/12/22/18765911.php
Added to the calendar on Mon, Jan 5, 2015 11:31AM
Add Your Comments
Comments
(Hide Comments)
Here is a video interview with local political activist and social critic Steven Argue at the December 17th, 2014 HUFF Police Abuse Protest at the Corner of Laurel and Center Streets next to the Santa Cruz Police Department (SCPD) Station. Argue placed Ferguson and SCPD police abuse within the larger historical and political context. We were interrupted midway by Take Back Santa Cruz (TBSC) member Aaron Whiting filming us: more TBSC stalking. Argue presciently warned my investigative journalism would place me in grave danger, which was followed by TBSC members — like Tom M. Cunniff of Aptos whose girlfriend is a Santa Cruz Sheriffs probation officer — making (death) threats against me under the protection of the SCPD on December 20th, 2014.
We continued our interview after Whiting drove off. Argue described how the police serve wealthy Capitalists (not the public) who play Good Cop Bad Cop with the Democrats and Republicans to control the populace by giving us the illusion of Democracy.
http://youtu.be/1Mfj7foqnRY
We continued our interview after Whiting drove off. Argue described how the police serve wealthy Capitalists (not the public) who play Good Cop Bad Cop with the Democrats and Republicans to control the populace by giving us the illusion of Democracy.
http://youtu.be/1Mfj7foqnRY
The protest was spirited if small (about a dozen people). More honks of support as time went on. No harassment from the police.
My car--parked in the SCPD parking lot--was vandalized. One tire was slashed and another punctured.
That's the first time this has happened to my knowledge at least in recent times.
The police released the stats on Officer Azua's arrests by race and homeless status. We're studying the documents.
No release yet of the specifics of when and against whom officers have used force (tasering, pain compliance, choke holds, batons, weapon draw, etc.).
No report from Chief Vogel on the investigation into Officer Vasquez's dropping of Richard Hardy face first onto the sidewalk in handcuffs nearly two years ago now.
No indication yet of support from other organizations that one would think have an interest in demanding this info (NAACP, SCCCCR, ACLU, Pollination Project).
My car--parked in the SCPD parking lot--was vandalized. One tire was slashed and another punctured.
That's the first time this has happened to my knowledge at least in recent times.
The police released the stats on Officer Azua's arrests by race and homeless status. We're studying the documents.
No release yet of the specifics of when and against whom officers have used force (tasering, pain compliance, choke holds, batons, weapon draw, etc.).
No report from Chief Vogel on the investigation into Officer Vasquez's dropping of Richard Hardy face first onto the sidewalk in handcuffs nearly two years ago now.
No indication yet of support from other organizations that one would think have an interest in demanding this info (NAACP, SCCCCR, ACLU, Pollination Project).
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$35.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network