Letter From the Occupiers of 75 River Street in Santa Cruz - Central Coast News KION/KCBA

Last night, the occupiers of 75 River Community Center chose to end their occupation. Just after 9pm the building was left vacant, just as it has been since 2008. Before leaving, signs were hung from every office and conference room door with suggestions for a future community center. Servicess such as free childcare, free drug counseling, homeless outreach and senior speed-dating are just a few examples of what could have been available at 75 River, which aspired to become a community center for the residents of Santa Cruz.

This effort was disrupted and distorted by the Santa Cruz Police, the City Council, and Wells Fargo Bank. The occupiers chose to exit the building since it became clear that police were targeting a small group of individuals not directly involved with the occupation. Besides being a further testament to the ineptitude of the Santa Cruz Police Department, this targeting shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the Occupy organizing model. These targeted individuals acted as observers and monitors of the occupation and communicated to police and media, but were in no way central to the occupation. The Occupy movement has neither leaders nor central individuals.

The violence that occurred at 75 River was entirely initiated by the police. At least four individuals were brutalized by police, one of whom was hospitalized due to their injuries. The appropriation of tax funds for intimidation and unprovoked violence was a waste of money that could be used to fund public services, rather than to disrupt individuals autonomously providing those resources.

The police and some media have focused on Wells Fargo as the "victim" in this scenario.  This logic is exactly the problem.  Wells Fargo has foreclosed countless families out of their homes (not to mention investing in heinous ICE detention centers, engaging in predatory lending, and yielding profits of over $12 Billion last year).  The reclamation and re-purposing of a vacant building valued at $3.5 million is an injustice to no person and no institution. The real injustice is people being pillaged out of homes they spent years working legitimately to obtain, by an objectively greedy and inherently predatory legal entity.

Within the occupied space, a sense of togetherness was created that many had never felt elsewhere. Many also found safety within the building. These are not trivial things for people forced into living on the streets, but rather powerful and beautiful experiences that will remain with those who participated in the bank occupation for the rest of their lives.

It was inevitable that an occupation like the River St. one would spring up, as winter approaches and the core members of Occupy, many of whom are homeless, find themselves needing shelter from the elements (not to mention a place to fall asleep without concern that one is committing an illegal act). Future occupations across the country are similarly inevitable. Marginalized members of this society are beginning to discover their power.  Beyond their overwhelming numerical superiority, the people have a vision of society that is compelling and profoundly fairer than the current way of things. Every day we struggle together is a day closer to this vision.

We'll be back.

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