2013-07-04 "Security Santa Cruz Security Guard Thuggery Receives Go-Ahead on July 11th"

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2013-07-04 "Security Santa Cruz Security Guard Thuggery Receives Go-Ahead on July 11th"
from NOTE BY NORSE:
Reports in Santa Cruz of intimidation and inappropriate behavior by Security Guards around the library, city hall, and San Lorenzo Park continue to come in on a regular basis--and from homeless people who have no past history of such complaints. Yesterday, Gary at the Drum Circle denounced a First Alarm Security Guard (who, he said, was named "Dane") for picking him out, towering over him, and then demanding he surrender the brown liquid in a glass jar (coffee) for examination, apparently insisting there were "no such liquids allowed in the park." Earlier, Gary reports, the same First Alarm guard bullied him at City Hall by false claiming his bike had to be placed in a special area to be "legal".
Some months back, Razor Ray reported a similar incident at City Hall. Ray, however, insisted the SCPD be called, and the cop advised the First Alarm guard that no law was being violated. He also documents a continuing pattern of First Alarm harassment in San Lorenzo Park ("What $160,000 dollars a year buys in contracts to ‘First Alarm’" at [https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/05/07/18736461.php?show_comments=1#18736533]).
Photojournalist and former Santa Cruz Eleven defendant Alex Darocy has also documented escalating harassment by First Alarm Security thugs in San Lorenzo Park: See "First Alarm Security Guards Profile and Stalk San Lorenzo Park Users" at [https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/06/24/18738888.php].
Please post any videos, photos, or other accounts of such darkening police state behavior on line at you-rube as well as at [www.indybay.org/santacruz].
An incident such as is described below is a likely prospect in Santa Cruz. We've already experienced Officer Vasquez's "Sidewalk Smash" of Richard Hardy (see [http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_23092865/homeless-man-injured-during-arrest]). SCPD uniformed officers reportedly have "better training" than the private security heavies hired by the City to appease the Take Back Santa Cruz/Lynn Robinson/Pamela Comstock mob.
The increasing demonization of homeless people is encouraged by by neo-fascistic groups like the Public Hysteria Citizens Task Farce (which calls itself the Public Security Citizens Task Force) set up to legitimize "an unwelcoming attitude towards the homeless."
This situation will grow worse on July 11th when a new anti-homeless "Public Safety" ordinance goes into effect. (See "Anti-Homeless Laws at Santa Cruz City Council" at [https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/05/26/18737433.php]). This new ordinance (MC 13.08.090(b)) reads " Any person who by his or her conduct, or by threatening or abusive, or profane language willfully molests or unreasonably interferes with the use of a City park or beach by any other person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor." This sets up "fuck you, leave me alone!" responses for a year in jail and $1000 fine as well as a pre-conviction 24-hour banishment order from the park in question.
The First Alarm Security Thugs are reported covered under MC 13.08.090(a) which reads " Any person who willfully harasses or interferes with a City of Santa Cruz employee in the performance of his or her duties in a City park or beach, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor." This, of course, turns around the kind of security thug "move along or be intimidated" harassment that is increasingly reported by homeless-looking folks in the parks.
The resulting ritual humiliation and harassment by First Alarm, boardwalk security, Panther Protective Services, and other would-be stormtroopers is almost certain at some point to spark verbal or physical resistance and violence. Which, in turn, will lead to lawsuits--if adequately documented.