Update 4/17/09 9:00am:The police have called off arrests and citations. Almost everyone has left the tent city location going either to shelter or dispersing throughout the area. Big thanks to everyone who has showed their support and prevented arrests and citations. Because of this we have called off the vigil and are urging everyone to attend the Safe Ground rally Tuesday, April 21, 2:00pm at the State Capital South Steps. www.sacloaves.org/safeground
We are calling on all Homeless Advocates to “bear witness” and stand in solidarity with our homeless guests who are being forced to move from Tent City with no safe and legal place to sleep at night!
Please Download and Pass On This Flyer
There are over 1,200 homeless folks sleeping on the streets any given night, according to the Sac Co. Homeless Count 2009. St. John’s Shelter is still turning away over 200 women each night. The 100 folks who have no safe place to go and are at Tent City have become “VISIBLE” due to the national media attention. They represent a bigger societal and systemic problem. Are we going to allow them to be scattered and hidden once again?
The City Police will be at Tent City most likely on Wednesday to enforce that folks leave the private property so that “fencing” may be done to keep them off. Those who refuse to leave will be either “cited” or physically removed most likely starting on Thursday.
We would like to “bear witness” starting on Wednesday.
Come to Tent City located behind Blue Diamond.
• Take 160 N (16th St.)
• Go past Big Al’s Furniture on the right
• Turn Right on Dreyer St. ( Before The Casino Café)
• Go to the end of the Street and Park
• Walk up the bike Trail and meet on the Levy
For those who are moved to participate in a nonviolent Civil Disobedience, please read attached purpose, information and guidelines. Even if you choose NOT to do Civil Disobedience, we need your support and presence!
Thank you! The Safe Ground Team:
• Loaves & Fishes, Sister Libby Fernandez, (916) 879-5581
• Francis House, Greg Bunker, (916) 204-8688
• SHOC, Paula Lomazzi, (916) 425-6708
• Mark Merin Law Firm, Mark Merin, (916) 443-6911
Purpose:
The City and County of Sacramento has opened up 50 more temporary shelter beds but will leave behind 150 homeless people here at Tent City with another 1,000 homeless folks outside throughout the City and County without shelter. We are willing to be arrested on behalf of our homeless folks rather than see them be moved or be threatened with an “arrested” if they do not move when they have NO SAFE PLACE to go!!!!
Civil Disobedience Guidelines
“We believe that Christ went beyond natural ethics…and taught nonviolence as a way of life.” — Dorothy Day
Power itself is not derived through violence, though in governmental form it is usually violent in nature. Governmental power is often maintained through oppression and the implicit compliance of the majority of the governed. Any significant withdrawal of that compliance will restrict or dissolve governmental control. Apathy in the face of injustice is a form of violence. Struggle and conflict are often necessary to correct injustice.
Our struggle is not easy, and we must not think of nonviolence as a “safe” way to fight
oppression. The strength of nonviolence comes from our willingness to take personal risk without threatening other people. It is essential that we separate the individual from the role she/he plays. The “enemy” is the system that casts people in oppressive roles.
These direct action guidelines describe limits required for us to set a minimum level of safety for people participating in non-violent civil disobedience:
1. Safety of all participants is a priority.
2. We will try and protect each other at the demonstration site by setting up a support and advocacy structure that can react quickly if problems should arise or if arrests occur.
3. At the demonstration, we ask that participants act according to the respect and dignity that we have built for each other. Individual or group actions that endanger the physical well-being of other demonstrators should not be done.
4. Bring Photo I.D.
5. If you have prescription medications keep them in the prescribed bottle with your name on it.
6. Do not engage in any physical violence directed against others, including the police, spectators and other participants.
7. Do not create a situation that causes panic by abrupt gestures, yelling, pushing, running and throwing objects.
8. Maintain as much eye contact as possible. Your objectives must be reasonable. You must believe you are fair and you must be able to communicate this without saying anything threatening, critical, or hostile.
9. Do not bring weapons or anything that can be construed as a weapon to the demonstration site; weapons include but are not limited to: guns, knives, nail files, mace, letter openers, scissors, etc.
10. Do not be under the influence or bring drugs or alcohol to the demonstration.
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