Folks interested in bringing back the old Santa Cruz can join guitarists, grubgivers, and first amendment gurus Wednesday evening between Alfresco's and Cafe Campesino in front of New Leaf Market downtown.

Bring your instrument, your voice, and some warm clothing to keep dry under. For the last two weeks we've sung a wide variety of songs ranging from anti-war to love songs.

Joe Schultz will be supplying hot tasty soup as he did last week.

We hope to sign up performers for larger weekend events.

Police have left us alone at these weekly jams. But many of the musicians playing elsewhere have either been ticketed or warned under the "Downtown Ordinances". We want to open up the sidewalks again for everyone, encourage the return of out-of-town musicians who have been bullied away, and educate the public on the value of street performers.

Performers still face persistent harassment from misguidied police action. Mu goes to court for a second "playing next to a building" ticket (the current laws drive musicians to the curb, based on merchants' desire not to have performers near their shops). Mike was ticketed last week for "unattended property" when he played near the Coffee Roasting Company and went across the street to Starbucks briefly.

Mike True recently won a significant settlement from the City for an arrest in 2001 when he was handcuffed by Sgt. Butchie Baker for displaying his CD's while playing a guitar downtown.

Steve Argue, a political activist, was arrested under the Move-Along law, which makes political tabling or musical performing for more than one hour in one place every twenty four hours (with a table or open guitar case) a $100+ fine. Do it twice and they can sentence you to up to a year in jail and $1000 fine.

The whole City Council (including Mayor Kennedy) voted for these crazy laws. These harsh laws destroyed Santa Cruz's unique Voluntery Street Performers Guidelines, which worked for 22 years. Several downtown businesses (including the Pacific Trading Company) had demanded more power over the public sidewalks--and got it.

We want the community to take it back and restore a welcome mat for street performers and constitutional guarantees for everyone.

If it rains, we'll go to the Coffee Roasting Company down the street and figure out our next move. Join us.