hypocritexposer
Well-known member
I can't see this movement gaining supporters, for some reason.
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_15008557
Santa Cruz police ask FBI to help investigate what they believe was 'coordinated' attack on the city
By J.M. BROWN
Posted: 05/03/2010 01:38:11 PM PDT
SANTA CRUZ - At the request of city police, the FBI on Monday joined an investigation into the weekend riot downtown, which authorities say was a "methodical and coordinated" attack by anarchists.
Police asked for the FBI's help because investigators believe the Saturday night May Day street party, an unsanctioned event advertised by fliers placed around town and at UC Santa Cruz, was designed to provide "political and physical" cover for an unnamed anarchist group.
Masked demonstrators grabbed large rocks from Pacific Avenue tree beds and threw them through business windows. They also scrawled anarchist graffiti on buildings and jumped on top of a police car, pelted it with rocks and covered it in paint.
Police also revealed Monday that they received two phony 911 calls about shooting incidents that night, which were later determined to be unfounded. Investigators believe the calls were meant to divert officers away from downtown, where 18 businesses, half of them small locally owned enterprises, eventually suffered damage estimated at $100,000.
"It was coordinated to split up our resources," said Police Chief Howard Skerry, adding that his department is already understaffed due to the city budget crisis. "We need more people on the street."
Council members will discuss the matter today with City Manager Dick Wilson, who is charged with closing a $3 million to $4 million budget deficit by July. Wilson already has approved overtime expenses to investigate the case, as well as an April 23 gang-related homicide on the Westside.
"We have a multimillion-dollar budget deficit next year," Wilson said. "We don't have any money to do anything with."
Joseph Schadler, a spokesman for the FBI office in San Francisco, confirmed the agency joined the probe to determine whether any federal laws were broken. Authorities declined to say whether there are any suspected connections between the riot and a series of animal rights-related demonstrations targeting UC Santa Cruz scientists in 2008, which included firebombings that drew FBI agents into the case.
Police said announced Monday that authorities made a second arrest in connection with Saturday's riot, but the man's identity was not confirmed until Monday. Thomas Williams, who police described as a 41-year-old transient, was caught near the Town Clock, covered in paint similar to that used in the vandalism. He was arrested on charges of obstructing police and public intoxication.
Saturday police arrested 24-year-old Jimi Haynes, a Fresno County transient wanted on a parole violation for burglary. He was charged with felony vandalism.
Police said they are not sure who organized the event, which was advertised as a "massive street party" to celebrate International Workers Day. Some of the fliers promise the opportunity to "kick it, eat, drink, dance, take over." Another flier offers a "truly sick night of mayhem."
After police learned about the fliers several weeks ago, they followed department procedure and asked the city's special event coordinator, Kathy Agnone, to contact the group to find out more about their plans. The police department changed its policies on investigating First Amendment activities several years ago after a controversial undercover probe of the anarchist-themed Do It Yourself parade.
Police are allowed to investigate groups or planned events they suspect involve criminal activity, but police leaders say there was no reason to suspect the May Day event was a cover for vandals. The event fliers, which were posted around downtown and circulated online, contained anarchist language similar to fliers circulated about the DIY parade, which has never turned violent.
"This is the first time we have had the experience of people who call themselves anarchists joining another function," Wilson said.
Wilson said the city will investigate its procedures for investigating non-permitted functions, a role that used to be performed by police until the undercover operation involving DIY in 2005. Police officers attended planning meetings for the parade using fake names, a spying tactic that led to concerns about free speech violations.
Agnone, the special events coordinator, said she posted a comment on the May Day event's website encouraging organizers to seek a city permit, but she received no response. Agnone said some of the language in the fliers "was a concern for sure," but she did not remember warning other officials. She said she sometimes contacts police or parks officials about the potential size of crowds or effect on traffic, but ultimately, "What I look at is time, place and manner, and often content is not scrutinized."
At UC Santa Cruz, the theme "Dance Party" has become synonymous with anarchist activity. Last year's occupations of Kerr Hall and the Graduate Student Commons were originally advertised as dance parties. In both cases, masked demonstrators stormed the buildings and held office spaces for several days. The Kerr Hall occupation ended with police in riot gear forcing students out of the building.
Campus spokesman Jim Burns said he didn't know whether any student affairs officials noticed the May Day fliers and were concerned.
Prescott Watson, an 18-year-old global economics major, said he decided to attend the rally after suspecting the fliers he saw on campus could lead to something more.
"If there is a dance party whose tag line is 'Let's take over the town,' I thought I would go see what happened," Watson said.
He said a large group was dancing to amplified music at the Town Clock when he arrived at 10:10 p.m., but the demonstration quickly moved south on Pacific Avenue and turned on a side street, where masked figures wearing dark clothes started passing out torches and eventually broke windows of various businesses.
He called police and started recording video on his cell phone, which has been posted on YouTube. He said some of the attendees seemed shocked at the violence and left, while others who seemed intoxicated were handed torches to join in the violence.
Rene Maltos, a bouncer at the Pacific Avenue nightclub Motiv, said he chased down one of the people scrawling graffiti on a nearby store.
"I couldn't believe what they were doing," he said.
After he grabbed the protester by his backpack to detain him for police. He said others from the crowd attacked him, one person punching him in the jaw. A second bouncer jumped into the fracas to defend Maltos, but Maltos let the curly-haired vandal go and returned to the bar.
"I didn't want to hurt him; I just wanted him to stop what he was doing," he said.
Investigators ask that anyone who recognizes individuals in the videos or has information about Saturday's riot to call 420-5820 or the anonymous tipline at 420-5995.
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_15008557