Fighting Trumpism Against the Homeless in Santa Cruz: Freedom SleepOut #71

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Date:

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Time:

4:00 PM - 4:00 AM

Event Type:

Protest

Organizer/Author:

Keith McHenry (story by Norse)

Email:

keith [at] foodnotbombs.net

Phone:

575-770--3377

Location Details:

Bunking down on the sidewalk next to City Hall as things get chillier--weatherwise and otherwise. Center St. between Locust and Church. The event runs from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday mid-morning.

The likely election victory of three homeless-hostile City Council candidates a week ago as well as the national Trump victory means continued struggle to hold back the right-wing riptide against the rights of the poor and those outside. No Council meeting this week, though food, morning coffee, and possibly blankets may be available for those snuggling up to the sidewalk.

The basic right to sleep without harassment is the focus of the Freedom SleepOuts. Photographer Alex Darocy has captured the form and the substance of the latest SleepOuts at "Attendance at City Hall Sleepouts Remains High" [https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/11/14/18793590.php] .

RANGERS UNDER SCRUTINY
Rangers on the levee and deputies in the County are reportedly seizing homeless property and even destroying it in violation of state law and the federal Constitution. However at the Freedom Sleepouts, videoslinger Abbi Samuels and others are successfull fending off ranger raids. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQ4Q7-ZUvw4 . Rangerwrangler Ricardo Lopez reports unhoused folks on the Levee sleep there nightly in spite of ranger raids. He sees a new militant spirit in the wake of the Trump victory rousing "lazy leftists".

At Freedom SleepOut #70 last week Freedom Sleepers wielding video and cell phones protected sleeping folks from a quartet of rangers. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQ4Q7-ZUvw4

RISING DEMAND FOR POLICE REFORM
Both the Sentinel and an Indybay photographer covered the second Cop Corner protest by a small band of HUFFsters and their allies demanding release of the SCPD audio and video of their still anonymous officer(s) killing the mentally disabled Sean Arlt last month. See http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/social-affairs/20161110/santa-cruz-protesters-call-for-full-disclosure-in-sean-arlt-shooting and https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/11/11/18793373.php.

A third protest demanding full disclosure and an end to abusive police practices will be held Saturday November 19 1:30 PM at the Town Clock.

AUDIO REPORTING
Audio visits to the Freedom SleepOuts and street interviews are a regular feature of Bathrovbespierre's Broadsides, Robert Norse's twice-weekly Free Radio Santa Cruz [FRSC] show at freakradio.org. Past shows are archived at http://radiolibre.org/brb/index.html . As of last Friday, FRSC lost its transmitter site and is searching for a new one. See https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/11/11/18793387.php .

OUT OF TOWN UPDATES
The Oakland encampment struggle goes on. See http://www.thestreetspirit.org/oaklands-evictions-of-encampments-hurts-everyone/ & http://www.thestreetspirit.org/making-a-home-in-an-oakland-encampment/ .

Berkeley updates can be found at https://www.facebook.com/pages/First-they-came-for-the-homeless/253882908111999.

Meanwhile in San Francisco, courts are throwing out thousands of "quality-of-life" harassment tickets--while Santa Cruz resists even the most basic ("End the Sleeping Ban") reforms. See http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/matier-ross/article/SF-courts-ignoring-thousands-of-quality-of-life-10611766.php?t=e587d6e560&cmpid=email-premium .

Street Spirit, a homeless newspaper, is regularly available at the Sub Rosa Cafe and from those selling it around town.

As usual, this series of updates is written by Robert Norse; Keith McHenry and other faithfuls do the sleeping out.

For more information: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomsle...

Added to the calendar on Tue, Nov 15, 2016 1:16AM

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§Revel for Our Rights!

by dogwood

Wed, Nov 16, 2016 7:24PM

On Tuesday night I can connect with some of the best activists and sleepers in Santa Cruz, (and in the world, actually)...and get a free meal that is usually very tasty, too.

Last night I had macaroni with tomato sauce and hot, righteous vegetable soup, some great bread and fresh water.

The best thing is hearing what cow 50 has done lately to Keith's beautiful corn.

Right, John?

(Sorry, Keith, I'm just joking.)

I have come to really count on this protest for food and camaraderie, to protest the sleeping ban laws, and the protest has been going on for over 16 months, y'all. Truly Strong and Awesome.

Thank you Keith, and all of you other Freedom Sleepers for what you have consistently created and the party and the prognosticating go on!

Fight the sleeping ban law and policies that condone torture of people who are stuck outside.

Fight boring no-imagination politicians who won't build visionary and necessary housing stock.

And many more shelter beds, immediately.

We could be so innovative and break through the bio-sphere of obligatory boring structures while building sleep pods of immense numbers to shelter people of all kinds in comfort.

Are we less intelligent than bees?

Fight Fascism here in Santa Cruz.

It is not only repressive but really boring and odious.

Count Every Vote for all seats and especially the fourth Seat on City Council, and Measure D is still being counted, is NOT decided.

Please know that "NO on D" may still be victorious for a better, community-wide conversation, and better solutions to Carmageddon than funding certain Board member's companies.

dogwood

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