Press contact: Mauro Oliveira 818-753-1241
Tomorrow there will be a protest at 9:00 AM in front of the Santa Monica City Hall, 1865 Main Street, (between Pico and Colorado) Santa Monica
If you can't be there in person: contact
City Attorney, Marsha Jones Moutrie (310)458-8325 Fax: (310) 394-2962 The Santa Monica City Council (310) 458-8201
To protest the early morning raid on the Flamingo and the arrests of homeless activists Jennafer Waggoner, David Busch and Michael Reinsborough. The activists were released on bail this evening. The City of Santa Monica has not clarified yet what charges they intend to file. The three were arrested for tresspassing and obstruction of a police officer.
Express your outrage that people who should be given a medal for public service are instead being treated like criminals! Protest that the city of Santa Monica cares more about the "well-being" of derelict buildings in the city than human beings who live there.
All the residents of the Flamingo have been evicted to the streets again, and it has begun to rain. Thanks to the intelligence of the Santa Monica City Government, an all volunteer effort which could have doubled the number of available beds in the city (now 200 for an estimated population of 2500 has been destroyed -- in order to "protect" a derelict motel from "damage."
Today, Judy Rambo, a spokesperson for Santa Monica's Human Services said that Santa Monica spends $2 Million taxpayers dollars each year in homeless services -- one of the highest budgets in the nation. In one short week, The Flamingo, autonomously organized by homeless and supportive community members was well on its way to duplicating what the city provides, including three meals a day. Close to one hundred people are now without a place to stay, again, and facing some of the most draconian poor laws in the nation, prohibiting sleeping, lying, sitting, covering ones self with a blanket on public or private property in the city of Santa Monica.
Support the demands of the Flamingo Homeless Consituency, which include
1)Amnesty for all Flamingo and other homeless residents from the laws now on the books until shelter capacity equals homeless numbers. These laws include laws against covering up with a blanket, ban on sleeping in public or private space, requirement that homeless have a permit to sell the local homeless newspaper, Making Change
2) Year round legal shelters
3) A committee of the City council with equal representation by homeless delegates
4)Extension of sleep time for current shelter, which not close the doors at 10PM and kick out the residents at 5am, rain or shine
Last night, after 8 PM, a letter was delivered to Jennafer Waggoner and the Flamingo Residents, sent by Julie Rusk, The city's Manager of Human Services and Tracy Scruggs, the Homeless Services Coordinator, inviting negotiations. The protestors response was drafted and faxed in the middle of the night, dictated to a supporter as Jennafer Waggoner was chained to the building. By the time Ms. Rusk and Ms. Scruggs arrived at work, the activists had already been cut out of their restraints and were in jail.
Protestors question whether the letter was sincere, or whether it was a PR stunt on the part of the city. It is believed that members of the city council and other city officials were aware of the raid -- the police had been moving in personnel under cover of darkness, usinf encrypted communications channels. Police waited until most of the legal observers had gone home for the night, after an earlier threatened raid did not materialize.
Michael Reinsborough, who was to document any arrests of Jennafer Waggoner and David Busch was not allowed to video tape. His camera was dashed out his hands and he was himself arrested.
The police emptied the building of residents, who were awoken from sleep. Many were forced to leave without shoes or other belongings. One witness, who tried to go back to observe the arrest was blocked by a police officer who refused to let him approach the motel, and threatened to hit him with a baton if he tried to move in close enough to observe. There may be a number of other violations of constitutional rights by the police that will be looked into.
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