Occupy Arcata Moves To City Hall Over Weekend
Arcata Police Chief Tom Chapman said Occupy Arcata protesters are beyond their First-Amendment right to protest and assemble.
A letter written by the Chapman Oct. 26 demanded the protesters vacate the Arcata Plaza. Over the weekend, the protesters relocated to the lawn outside Arcata City Hall.
“Unfortunately, we need to work on public relations right now,” said Andrew Schneider, a 20-year-old occupant. “Being on the plaza was such a focal point, but we were also choking out other community members.”
In his letter, Chapman cites specific complaints such as open drug use, alcohol consumption, loose dogs, illegal camping, urination and defecation by the occupants.
“No one individual’s rights are more important than another. Despite warnings from the police department, your group has continued to encroach on the rights of other people to assemble in the public space that is intended open for everyone,” Chapman wrote. “I must respectfully ask you to remove all tarps, tents and structures from the Plaza immediately. Continued violation of these laws will be subject to arrest.”
Despite the letter, occupants like Schneider still respect the police chief.
“I have always harbored a healthy distrust of the law, but Chapman is [a] good [person],” Schneider said.
Chapman, who Schneider refers to as a professional and “level-headed” officer, has worked to mitigate tensions within the movement since the occupancy began.
Yet many occupants still insist they moved to City Hall of their own accord, not because of Chapman’s letter to vacate the plaza.
“It’s a few bad apples,” Schneider said. He explained there have been incidents with individuals who abuse drugs and alcohol. These incidents include arguments and physical altercations.
Schneider requested help from the Arcata Police Department Friday night, when a group of intoxicated transients
congregated at City Hall near the tents. “We need to stop having to deal with drunken bullshit,” he said.
Occupy Wall Street authored a Good Neighbor policy in order to address issues involving inappropriate behavior while occupying. Arcata occupants said they have attempted to adopt some of the regulations Occupy Wall Street agreed upon, like “zero tolerance for drugs or alcohol anywhere.”
In his letter, Chapman addressed the frustrations local business owners have expressed to him.
The department received complaints that businesses on the plaza have had a “significant” loss of sales and, in some cases, are in danger of closing, Chapman wrote.
“[This] seems counter to the Occupy Wall Street movement,” he wrote.
Since the Occupy Arcata movement started, Jada Brotman said her food cart, Queen Doubles, has lost $1,000. Brotman started selling from her food cart on the plaza over the summer. She pays daily fees for her permit to operate a food cart and has to pay a month in advance. During the days of occupancy, Brotman was unable to operate her business as normal.
Although several occupants said they try to support Brotman’s business and donate money, Brotman said the Occupy protesters have divided the community. Brotman said she was not welcome to share the space with their occupancy.
“They were taking up the space I had paid for and they wouldn’t move,” she said. “I succumbed to making no money. This is putting the wrong person out of business.”
On Monday, Nov. 7, Queen Doubles will move from the plaza location to inside Luke’s Joint on H Street.
Adam Pokorski, co-owner of Missing Link Records, said he fully supports Occupy Wall Street and the protests.
“The core group that is actually in solidarity—we love them,” he said.
However, he has some reservations. Pokorski said he became concerned when he noticed the occupancy had turned into an excuse to just party on the plaza.
“When there are people actually working towards something and also being faced with brutality for it, like in Oakland, it’s frustrating to see this,” Pokorski said. “It’s kind of embarrassing.”
Ashley Ward, a journalism senior and Humboldt Occupy protester, said the beauty of the movement is people coming together, despite political and social backgrounds.
“I have been so inspired by people demanding change within our system that I plan to travel city to city and report on the movement after graduating,” she said.
Ward said Occupy Humboldt and Occupy Arcata support each other and stand in solidarity. As for the issues that arose on the plaza, Ward said the problems have been addressed to avoid future mishaps.
Occupant Schneider said this movement is what the world has been waiting for.
“We are confident that we will see the human spirit of love overcome the paradigm of greed,” he said. “It’s become Occupy Everywhere, and we’re on the cusp of a global revolution.”
“Unfortunately, we need to work on public relations right now,” said Andrew Schneider, a 20-year-old occupant. “Being on the plaza was such a focal point, but we were also choking out other community members.”
In his letter, Chapman cites specific complaints such as open drug use, alcohol consumption, loose dogs, illegal camping, urination and defecation by the occupants.
“No one individual’s rights are more important than another. Despite warnings from the police department, your group has continued to encroach on the rights of other people to assemble in the public space that is intended open for everyone,” Chapman wrote. “I must respectfully ask you to remove all tarps, tents and structures from the Plaza immediately. Continued violation of these laws will be subject to arrest.”
Despite the letter, occupants like Schneider still respect the police chief.
“I have always harbored a healthy distrust of the law, but Chapman is [a] good [person],” Schneider said.
Chapman, who Schneider refers to as a professional and “level-headed” officer, has worked to mitigate tensions within the movement since the occupancy began.
Yet many occupants still insist they moved to City Hall of their own accord, not because of Chapman’s letter to vacate the plaza.
“It’s a few bad apples,” Schneider said. He explained there have been incidents with individuals who abuse drugs and alcohol. These incidents include arguments and physical altercations.
Schneider requested help from the Arcata Police Department Friday night, when a group of intoxicated transients
congregated at City Hall near the tents. “We need to stop having to deal with drunken bullshit,” he said.Occupy Wall Street authored a Good Neighbor policy in order to address issues involving inappropriate behavior while occupying. Arcata occupants said they have attempted to adopt some of the regulations Occupy Wall Street agreed upon, like “zero tolerance for drugs or alcohol anywhere.”
In his letter, Chapman addressed the frustrations local business owners have expressed to him.
The department received complaints that businesses on the plaza have had a “significant” loss of sales and, in some cases, are in danger of closing, Chapman wrote.
“[This] seems counter to the Occupy Wall Street movement,” he wrote.
Since the Occupy Arcata movement started, Jada Brotman said her food cart, Queen Doubles, has lost $1,000. Brotman started selling from her food cart on the plaza over the summer. She pays daily fees for her permit to operate a food cart and has to pay a month in advance. During the days of occupancy, Brotman was unable to operate her business as normal.
Although several occupants said they try to support Brotman’s business and donate money, Brotman said the Occupy protesters have divided the community. Brotman said she was not welcome to share the space with their occupancy.
“They were taking up the space I had paid for and they wouldn’t move,” she said. “I succumbed to making no money. This is putting the wrong person out of business.”
On Monday, Nov. 7, Queen Doubles will move from the plaza location to inside Luke’s Joint on H Street.
Adam Pokorski, co-owner of Missing Link Records, said he fully supports Occupy Wall Street and the protests.
“The core group that is actually in solidarity—we love them,” he said.
However, he has some reservations. Pokorski said he became concerned when he noticed the occupancy had turned into an excuse to just party on the plaza.
“When there are people actually working towards something and also being faced with brutality for it, like in Oakland, it’s frustrating to see this,” Pokorski said. “It’s kind of embarrassing.”
Ashley Ward, a journalism senior and Humboldt Occupy protester, said the beauty of the movement is people coming together, despite political and social backgrounds.
“I have been so inspired by people demanding change within our system that I plan to travel city to city and report on the movement after graduating,” she said.
Ward said Occupy Humboldt and Occupy Arcata support each other and stand in solidarity. As for the issues that arose on the plaza, Ward said the problems have been addressed to avoid future mishaps.
Occupant Schneider said this movement is what the world has been waiting for.
“We are confident that we will see the human spirit of love overcome the paradigm of greed,” he said. “It’s become Occupy Everywhere, and we’re on the cusp of a global revolution.”
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Issue Date:
Wed, 2011-11-02 
