Children enjoying ice cream on the Haight.

Tabitha Harmon has written a very interesting and revealing  article for SF Engage, a “community engagement initiative” of the Public Press.

To gather opinons on the proposed sit/lie ordinance, she “spoke with people who interact daily with and see those living on the street [in the Haight], be they bartenders, baristas at local cafes, employees of local shops, police officers or those just those visiting Golden Gate Park for the weekend.”

In her conversations, she “did not come across anyone who fully believed in and supported this proposed ordinance, with all of them stating that the city would simply be sweeping the problem under a rug.”  Though many folks were left “without a response” when asked to propose a “tangible solution to problems that they perceived existed on the Haight.

Perhaps her most fascinating interview was with a middle-aged male police officer patrolling Haight Street who went on the record saying he was against the ordinance saying it would be ineffective and that it would, most of all, be a distraction for officers (wow!):

To my surprise he also did not agree with it. He argued that it would indeed help clean up the main streets of the Haight district, however this change would simply be superficial: it would not actually solve the problem of the rising homeless population. He explained that there has recently been influx of officers to areas such as the Haight to deal with incidents involving homeless people, but that the influx is causing other areas to go without police officers, so these side areas, in the end, are going to experience more criminal activity and social unrest due to the lack of attention that these neighborhoods are receiving. He also brought to my attention that the few officers patrolling these under-patrolled areas are going to be at more of a risk when considering their own safety. The officer ended up stating that this ordinance would be more of a distraction for officers than anything, because it would shift the focus to chasing transient people away from main streets rather than responding to more dangerous crimes taking place elsewhere.

There you have it. Even the police officers in San Francisco are against this law!

Read the full article at SF Engage.

The ripple effects of Sidewalks are for People are just starting to roll in. Photos, videos, and all kinds of media coverage, are coming from everywhere.

The video below from Stephen Leader is really amazing because it totally exemplifies what Sidewalks are for People is all about.  A stranger who hasn’t heard of sit/lie is walking down the street and is intrigued by what a cheerful poet/artist (the one and only Alica Soon)  is doing on the corner of Haight-Ashbury with her homemade macaroons and flyers.

He starts asking her questions and gets educated and inspired on the sit/lie issue and makes a brilliant little video of her that will reach hundreds (thousands?) more people.  It’s truly amazing what’s happening here folks.

And we’re just getting started!

Photo by Steve Rhodes

This letter originally appeared at Beyond Chron.

Dear Chief Gascón, Mayor Newsom and Members of the Board of Supervisors:

We stand with working people, immigrants, queer people, and poor people in opposing a proposal for a law that would criminalize sitting or lying on public sidewalks.

Homeless people in our community are members of our community, and a law in any form that would criminalize them is morally reprehensible and contrary to the spirit of sanctuary in San Francisco.

Such a law, though designed to target homeless people, could — and we believe will — very easily be used against other valued members of our communities, such as day laborers and youth in low-income neighborhoods. The implications for free speech and shared public space are a threat for all members of our community.

We recognize that the resources are scarce and that most people in public spaces — regardless of their housing status — are not criminals.

We oppose a law that would make it illegal to sit or lie on any sidewalk.

We believe such a law would not be effective at guiding people to services, would not make the community any safer, and would encroach on our community members’ civil rights.

The Steering Committee:

Rev. Dr. Dorsey Odell Blake
Rev. Jana Drakka
Mr. John “Fitz” Fitzgerald
Rev. Norman Fong
Rabbi Peretz Wolf-Prusan
Rev. Keenan Colton Kelsey
Pastor April Prosser
Father Louie Vitale
Rabbi Micah Hyman
Rev. Schuyler Rhodes
Rev. Nobu Hanaoka
Mr. Michael Bien

John Coté did a really nice piece for the the San Francisco Chronicle.

There was afternoon tea in Cole Valley, a neighborhood party north of the Panhandle Park and barbecues at various spots.

People drew with chalk on the sidewalks, did yoga and grumbled that San Francisco was slipping toward a police state.

“It seems un-American to me, to go after the most vulnerable people in our society,” said Allen Trachtenberg, 82, who was handing out flyers that read: “There are already enforceable laws against aggressive behavior. Criminalizing sitting on the sidewalk won’t solve anything – it will just turn more of us into criminals.”

Linda Lagunas Atwood serves up Lemonade for "Sidewalks are for People!"

Heather Smith wrote a great piece on “Sidewalks are for People”  for Mission Loc@l.

Two and a half weeks ago, a website went up. There was a Facebook page. There was a Google map. Its only instructions: on March 27th, do something in public in San Francisco. Make it fun.”

“A friend and I were just brainstorming how to turn around the narrative in the media that the streets of San Francisco were this dangerous, unpleasant place,” says Andy Blue, one of the site’s builders. And so “Stand Up Against Sit/Lie” was born.

Continue reading A Protest With Sitting, Lying, and Lemonade at Mission Loc@l.

Photo: Paul Chinn / The Chronicle

Wow, what a spectacular day we had yesterday for Sidewalks are for People! Nearly a hundred events took place with more than a thousand participants. Pictures and videos are beginning to roll in from dozens of planned events and dozens more spontaneous actions from neighborhoods across the city.  We think it’s no exaggeration to say that what took place yesterday was historic.

In just about two and a half weeks, in rapid response to the introduction of the sit/lie ordinance, Sidewalks are for People went from conception to spectacular fruition. Thank you San Francisco!

Please add your photographs to the Flickr group Sidewalks are for People!

See reports of some of the action on our facebook page.

Videographers! Please let us know where you post your pieces.  Contact andyblue415 (att) gmail (dott) com if you would like to upload them directly to our youtube account, which would be great.

Check out the brilliant video below from yesterday by Serge Delepine.

Please blast videos, photos, and news stories out to your personal newsfeeds on facebook so this can go viral!

We received outstanding news coverage. Here’s a sample:

Protests in SF against Sit/Lie Law San Francisco Chronicle

Activists Protest Potential Ordinance by Sitting on the Sidewalks KTVU

Protests of SF’s Proposed Sit/Lie Ordinance KCBS Radio

More to come!

Find events and add you own.

SIDEWALKS ARE FOR PEOPLE!

ALL DAY / CITY-WIDE

SATURDAY, MARCH 27

4:00PM: MEET FOR A CELEBRATION FINALE AT MARKET/CASTRO PLAZA

FIND EVENTS OR ADD YOUR OWN EVENT TO THE MAP

SEE THE GROWING LIST OF SATURDAY’S EVENTS

ATTENTION PARTICIPANTS: Resources for your event, now available under EVENT RESOURCES. Get a colorful window sign and more!

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors will soon be voting on a law that would make it illegal to sit or lie on any sidewalk in San Francisco. We think it’s a terrible idea to criminalize the act of sitting in public space and we are shocked that San Francisco may be on the verge of adopting the most draconian “sit/lie” law in the country.

You can help stop this law from passing, and you’ll need do nothing more than do what you love on your nearest sidewalk.

MARCH 27 will mark a fantastic, city-wide celebration of public space, San Francisco’s diverse and vibrant culture, and San Francisco’s history of tolerance  and compassion.

On Saturday, March 27, people in every neighborhood will be doing what they love on the city’s sidewalks and they will be inviting family, friends, and neighbors to join them. Multiple events have already been planned and the list is growing by the day.  More than 1,300 people have already RSVP’d!

What can you do for Sidewalks are for People? Anything!

Just occupy a space on the sidewalk, perhaps with a table, lawn chair or carpet. Then, make music, barbecue, do yoga, create a lemonade stand, read, relax, make art, have an argument, talk, sun bathe, do your taxes, play chess, meditate, do tai chi, eat, knit, dance, paint, write, sit, lie down, play — Anything!

We will provide you with some basic materials to hand out to curious pedestrians, along with tools to support you in orchestrating this in the most effective way.  Other than that, we leave it up to you to organize the best event that you can.  You can do whatever you want, but please do something!

Be sure to document your event with photos and video.

MORE INFO TO COME!

CONTACT: info@StandAgainstSitLie.org to learn more about how to get involved and make your individual action cohesive with the hundreds of other people who will be participating.