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More on Our Broadway Home, a movement that started as a protest against police harassment in Seattle. This was transcribed by a computer with a little help from me. There are likely some mistakes as a result. Leave a comment if you catch any.

Seattle Displacement Coalition Flier (523-2569)
We have drawn a line: Help Us Stop the crackdown on the homeless!!
36-Organization Coalition` Continues Its Challenge to the
Sidran/Rice/Pageler Anti-Homeless ,Laws: City Council and Mayor to
Blame For Police Included Near Riot. On Broadway

In September, [1993] 200-300 homeless youth and their supporters marched up and down Broadway for three consecutive nights to protest a growing number of incidents of harassment and abuse at the hands of local police. On the first night of those demonstrations, police armed with riot gear and batons, moved in to brake up the demonstration ordering everyone out of the area. It was as if the police were purposely intending ..to demonstrate the legitimacy-of homeless youth’s complaints in full view of news cameras, and hundreds of Saturday night revelers. In. what must have been an enormously politicizing event for bystanders, everyone who did not move quickly, or who objected in the least bit, was prodded, doused with pepper spray, beaten, or arrested.

A minimum of 19 people were hauled off to jail, including several bystanders, and a pregnant women. While Several bottles were thrown, but one of those were-iltrownclter police opened up on the crowd with pepper spray. Those few who were seen throwing bottles were quickly counseled by the crowd to stop. No doubt mindful of their Saturday night performance, police merely accompanied protestors on marches held the following two days without heavy handed arrests or police violence.

Even though police behavior that Saturday night was grossly out of line, the new police chief and no elected leader has even investigated the incident to date. And, don’t expect a credible internal investigation by police of any individual complaints filed on the incident (shOuld anyone even choose the hopeless task of requesting such an investigation.) Few if any complaints ever’ result in disciplinary action.

City Ignores Grievances of Homeless Youth Which Gave Rise to Protests

Perhaps the most troubling aspect surrounding last week’s events is what appears to be a purposeful refusal on the part of .anyone in power to recognize the grievances Alike homeless youth that qave rise to the potests in the first place, Worse Not. they seem intent on Marginalizing those who participated, and in a sorry display of good old fashion “red-baiting”, they’ve placed much of the blame on “left-wing” groups and outside agitators. Some merchants -have even claimed that there are no homeless youth on our streets at all - just a bunch of rowdy irresponsible kids.

On any given day, youth shelter providers estimate that there are over 500 chronically homeless youth living on the Streets _of Seattle and in King County - kids who have been homeless anywhere from one month to several years. A large portion of this population congregates in the Broadway or II-District area where they at least can find a sense of community among themselves. An estimated 70-80 percent are the victims of some form of physical or sexual abuse and have permanently fled or been kicked out of their homes. These youth are never going back to their family (nor should government adopt programs premised off such a goal). In spite of the growing numbers, there are only about 50 shelter beds and almost no permanent housing out there for this group. And there are few support services, education, training, or job opportunities.

While the streets are the only home to these youth, city government, working in cooperation with police and some merchants, have turned it into a war zone, implementing an array of strategies that severely restrict the civil rights of the poor and homeless –evert the right to sit peacefully on a sidewalk. Benches have been removed from most communities and taken out of bus shelters. No trespass and no 1017′ering signs have gone up everywhere. Black-shined private security forces now are allowed to patrol public streets. Parks close at night after 11:00 and you can be driven out or arrested for camping on any green space in town.

These actions mark an insidious erosion and privatization of our public space. It also has become OK for police to engage in direct forms of harassment and abuse of the homeless including reports by youth of physical beatings, illegal searches, incarceration without charges, verbal threats including use of racist, sexist, and homophobic remarks and other “low level, ” but on-going fonns of intimidation. This can only occur under a veil of institutional acceptance, and our Mayor, City Council, merchants, police chief, and other “leaders” ultimately bare responsibility.

Several studies of high risk youth indicate that a critical determinant enabling them to overcome their difficulties, was the presence of even one caring adult or an opportunity such as education, vocational training, or “involvement in a community group.” As adults, if we do not move to accept homeless youth as part of our community and begin to deliver real programs and permanent housing based on that premise, if we do not move to give this group some real control over their lives, then we have no business lecturing them about “responsibility.” And if we fail at this task, it is a scathing indictment of our community that

~lhtguarantees more protests, tension, and polarization along Broadway.

DisplaceMent Coalition Bulletin;

City Begins Enforcement of the “No Sitting” Law - Homeless Group Continue Their Challenge to the Law! What to do, if you are cited,arrested, threatened with arrest or told to move on by the police!

Seattle, the “emerald city”, now comes with slims that say WO SITTING ALONG THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD.”

Last month, Seattle officials announced they soon will be enforcing the Sidren/Rice/Pageler “no-sitting” law. In February, a federal court judge upheld the constitutionality of the law, but opponents have appealed that decision. Instead of waiting for a higher court ruling expected in about nine months, the City has decided to move forward with enforcement. From the hours of 7:00 AM until .9:00 Pm in Downtown, the University, District, Capitol Hill, Ballard, and other neighborhood commercial districts, sitting or lying on the sidewalk (in all but a few designated areas such as at parks and at bus stops) now is prohibited. The law first requires police to warn the brazen offender to move on. Then if the warning is not heeded, or presumably, that person is later caught re- offending, police may issue a citation, accompanied by a 50 dollar fine or the equivalent in community service.

And no sooner than the City’s Engineering Department could post flashy new no sitting” signs in Pioneer Square, a renegade group calling itself S.I.D.R.A.N. (Sit in Downtown and Reclaim Areas Now!) went out and clandestinely removed them. Two days later, the signs reappeared in Pioneer Squire, but in the forma colorful and quite functional park benches. Accusing the City of launching an all-out attack on the civil rights of the poor and homeless in Seattle, S.I.D.R.A.N. pledged itself (and invited others! to participate in future acts oimischiel against the City.

Several “above ground” groups also have renewed their campaign to challenge the no-sitting law, and other anti- homeless measures passed by the City in recent years. A 36-group coalition (including the King Count)! Labor Council, National Organization of Women, Seattle Displacement Coalition, and several church, Community, and political groups! has announced they will hold an on­going series of sit-ins to test the law. Every other Thursday at 1st and Washington in Pioneer Square, beginning at 11:30AM, a different group of church, labor, or community leaders will be invited to join the homeless for a two-hour sidewalk sit-in. The first of these sit-in’s is scheduled for June 16th. The Coalition is urging everyone to join them, either as an observer, or as a “sitting” participant. They also are encouraging teams of supporters to go out at other times during the day and in other locations to challenge the law.

These groups also have not given up on their legal efforts to stop enforcement of the Sidran/f?ice/Pageler law. The ACLU, and Evergreen Legal Services will soon be going to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of opponents in hopes of securing an injunction that would “stay” enforcement until it does review and rule on the lower court decision.

By filling out a “sitting permit”, you may be able to sit legally, and defend yourself if you are cited, or told to move on by police!!

And other actions are being taken to counter the law. In a novel strategy, the Lawyer’s Guild has decided to encourage the homeless, panhandlers, and those who sit for purposes of leafleting and engaging in other forms of political activity, (and anyone for that matter) to go down to the City’s Engineering Department and request a “sitting peripi”. Since, the city issuer permits lot parades, sidewalk cafes, espresso carts; and other private events where sitting occurs, “they are obligated to issue a permit to the rest of us who sit on the sidewalk while we are exercising our constitutional right of free speech and assembly”.

The Guild and Displacement Coalition have created special “sit down” application forms, and are asking people to fill them out so that hundreds can be taken down en mass to the City. When these applications are filed, and when each prospective “sitter” is given a copy - even if the City ultimately rejects their request - the Guild believes that having it on record will provi0 a real defense against a citation and may even help in (forts to strike down the law.

For anyone who receives a citation, the Coalition, the Guild, and other groups are urging you to appeal your line. The law works very much like a traffic violation. You may appeal to a magistrate, then you may appeal to a lower court, and finally to a hkher municipal court. “Glog-up the Courts with appeal after appeal of this outrageous and unconstitutional law” say opponents; “If they want to make the simple act of sitting a crime, well then let’s make them earn a conviction.’

For those people so opposed to the law that they refuse to cooperate at all with enforcing officers, attorneys warn that a refusal to sign a citation (which is not an admission of guilt), is likely to result in arrest. Failure to appear in court, or failure to pay a fine that is ultimately imposed (should you lose your appeal! also are separate “arrestable” offenses. In contrast, attorney’s note that the “no sitting” law does not include a provision allowing the police to arrest you. In otherwords, if you remain sitting after you have been cited (and sign your citation), police may not legally arrest you, but be warned, they may just do it anyway out of spite or on some other “trumped-up” charge. Or, as ridiculous as it may seem, an officer theoretically could keep on giving you ticket, after ticket, after ticket.

And no one seems to know - not the beat cop or Mr. Sidran - what will happen if you accept and sign your citation, get up, and sit back down a few yards away. Is that worthy of a separate offense, an obstruction charge, or arrest? And, what pray tell, will they do to if they catch you later that day sitting somewhere else? (Think about it, this is what has become of Seattle’s criminal justice system • an all-to-real vision of overcrowded jails, overcrowed courts, overworked prosecutors, more and more police officers - and they’re all running around arresting, processing, and attempting to convict “sitters.” Wow…what a town!)

Who to Call if You Are Cited, or Arrested by Police, or told to move On

Many who are compelled as a matter of conscience to challenge this law say they are prepared to face any and all of these consequences. Anyone cited or arrested under the law &urged to contact the Seattle Displacement Coalition.