ALERT to Save People’s Park: UC Berkeley, Construction businesses, and Police Move To Destroy Berkeley’s Landmark, Open Space and Community of People’s Park, August 3, 2022

Text SAVETHEPARK to 74121 to get notifications. 

Note: This post will have ongoing updates. Last updated 1:52 PM August 3, 2022

August 3, 2022, 1:45 AM

Police Closing People’s Park Under Cover of Darkness, August 3, 2022

UC is moving on the park NOW! Please go to the park if you’re able, and let others know! Word from the park (as of 12:15am) is that surveillance light towers, fences are going up

They’re closing off Dwight. Towing cars. They’ve got Hillegass and Regent blocked off at Dwight with low portable fencing. The surrounding cars are being towed to another lot ‘to prevent possible damage from protesters’. This is it.

August 3, 2022, 3:13 AM

Light towers were about to be unloaded. Looks like UC is about to fence off the park. If you can make it down, please do. Text SAVETHEPARK to 74121 to get notifications. 

Sorry to share yuck news but it’s all about our resistance to it at this point.

August 3, 2022, 6:22 AM

In a deeply courageous moves of non-violent civil disobedience to stop the destruction of People’s Park, Berkeley community members are sitting and moving beneath heavy equipment suspended from cranes trying to install surveillance lighting.

Non-Violent Civil Disobedience to Stop Construction on People’s Park, Early morning August 3, 2022
Non-Violent Civil Disobedience to Stop Construction on People’s Park, Early morning August 3, 2022
Non-Violent Civil Disobedience to Stop Construction on People’s Park, Early morning August 3, 2022

Construction industry with police aid destroys People’s Park, August 3, 2022, an act of profound and long lasting damage to the Berkeley community. This opportunistic profiteering for the few, despite several other sites where housing could be built.

August 3, 2022, 7:32 AM

People’s Park Protectors Needed! The police are in the park with bulldozers and they have blocked off Haste and Dwight.

“If Roesch did not sign the order, then UC is in clear violation of the stay, which is actually really bad for them. The other part of this is the return of the students.  I expect that they are slowly filtering back into town. Keep up the resistance!  The more students there are around, the better it is for us.” — A long-time People’s Park contributor

August 3, 2022, 9:54 AM

The National Lawyers Guild is on site at People’s Park and was aware of 7 arrests, 3 released, and no information on the other 4. If anyone has info, please call them: 415-285-1011.

August 3, 2022, 11:19 AM

“Lawyer Phil Bokovoy says that UC has no legal authority or right to close off city streets. At any blockade of a city street you can demand that those stopping your passage show or cite their authority to stop you. If they have none you are entitled to use that street. That may be true for sidewalks also, which is where the fence is bolted down so that may be illegal also.” — A long-time People’s Park contributor

August 3, 2022, 12:38 PM

Protesters shaking the fence during destruction of People’s Park by UC Berkeley, August 3, 2022
Trees destroyed and fencing going up around People’s Park, August 3, 2022
Trees destroyed in Northeast corner of People’s Park, August 3, 2022

August 3, 2022, 1:13 PM to 1:22 PM

Note: This post will have ongoing updates. Last updated 1:52 PM August 3, 2022


Video and photos note: Please document the activities in the park, police, fencing, etc. This is a historically significant event. When documenting activities in the park with cell phone video cameras, please turn the camera horizontally before recording for better video and photos.

Press Release: “The Struggle Continues” Rally And Music At People’s Park

Watch video of the event at the People’s Park Community Facebook page — with Andrea Prichett (MC), Corrina Gould, John Holloway, Joe Liesner, Pamela Price, Aidan Hill, Señor Gigio, Rosey Stephens, Maxina Ventura, Sophia, Becky and Andrea Prichett. Thanks to Aidan Hill for the video!
1 hour 36 minutes

Press Release
For Immediate Release

For Additional Information:
Andrea Prichett, 510-229-0527
Joe Leisner, 510-542-3112

“The Struggle Continues” Rally And Music At People’s Park

People’s Park Council is hosting an in-person community event called “The Struggle Continues” with speakers and musical performances by local artists. Speakers will include Pamela Price who is currently running to become the District Attorney for Alameda County as well as individuals from local organizations with connections to the struggle to save the park. The People’s Park Council is encouraging community members to attend the event and if they can’t be there in person, the event will be livestreamed via FaceBook at the People’s Park Community page.

Organizers are continuing efforts to preserve the historic park through various means. In addition to public events and activities, there is also a major effort in the courts. On July 29, 2022 a team of lawyers from the People’s Park Historic District will present to the First Appellate Court grounds for invalidating UC’s very inadequate Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on Housing Project #2 (People’s Park housing). Prevailing on July 29 would set UC back, require a new EIR, and hopefully, motivate UC to build on an alternative site. We encourage everyone to contribute to this effort at:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/ahbjjq-save-peoples-park

“We are concerned that our City Council will soon be going on recess and there is a real possibility that, if construction begins, this may very well kick off massive protests. We believe that both the UC and the City have demonstrated their inability and unwillingness to adminsiter this park in a healthy and equitable manner. Therefore, we believe that the best compromise and the best way for the UC to avoid massive opposition to this ill-conceived scheme is to cede the land to the Ohlone people,” said Andrea Prichett of the People’s Park Council. “This is a reasonable compromise and we remain ready to support discussions about this alternative solution.”

What: The Struggle Continues – Speakers and Musical Performances
Where: People’s Park in Berkeley
When: Wednesday, July 27, 2022 at 6 pm
Who: People’s Park Council

MORE INFORMATION:

People’s Park Historical District Advocacy Group: https://www.peoplesparkhxdist.org

People’s Park: https://www.peoplespark.org

Alert: Berkeley park community open space at risk of destruction, January 2021

Save People’s Park: Protect this precious Berkeley open space from developer profiteering

An update and appeal to Berkeley and the University of California, Berkeley

The precious People’s Park, open space and community gathering place, is at imminent risk of destruction in January 2021. A huge part of the park has been shut down with chain link fence and survellience lights at night. The perpetrators of the chain link fence attack, connected with opportunistic profiteers from the University, developers, construction industry, and others,  are clearly using the inclement weather and pandemic situation to attack the precious open space and gathering place of People’s Park with the least amount of pushback from the many users of the park. Numerous houseless people are camped in or beside the park during the pandemic and stormy wet winter weather, with numerous outside organizations and individuals helping park people to get by in decency, given the dire situation.

I remember years ago, my dear friend C and I visited the park in a winter rain. She was a medical student at the time, and we were really enjoying the open space, a relief for our stressed times. It was around the time I grew a bed of astounding 13-foot tall corn in the West side community garden beds of People’s Park. We climbed the great low branches and enjoyed the brisk air and wet colors. It was like today when I visited People’s Park, lush white Cala lilies happily growing into the cool showers.

To think that this park, the historical People’s Park, this vibrant community gathering place, People’s Park, the collective treasure chest of memories of people with vision, People Park, to think that this park could be reduced or damaged or eliminated by the University and it’s cohorts in development, construction and real estate, breaks our hearts. We’ve worked hard to garden, to tend the trees, to fill the air with music, dance and art, history and community, in this public space. To lose this green space would be a tragic loss, caused by destructive profiteering forces. 

The pathological, toxic roads and numerous parked cars are an indicator of how deluded our society has become. People spend so much time on computer or television screens, partly because the environment outside their own doors is so absurdly destroyed to make way for cars and parking spots, and not for people. We want to go to a park to escape the visual and noise pollution of cars everywhere, a public gathering place where we could enjoy gardens, music, sports, a picnic in the sun. How can it be that Berkeley might lose another park, People’s Park? 

I hope all parties involved in any development consider the social value of the special open space in People’s Park, a real direct tangible value to people in the neighborhood, throughout town, and for students, a value that brings people together from all walks of life, and work to protect that open space, the open public culture, and the history. There are several other effective solutions for building student housing, affordable housing, or other structures in many parts of Berkeley, so let us protect this precious remaining open space.

— Greg Jalbert, January 27, 2021

Rally to Save People’s Park

Friday, 3 PM, January 29, 2021

Stand in solidarity with our unhoused neighbors in preventing displacement. Fences are being built to prevent people from using People’s Park.

  • Bring your own signs if possible
  • Food provided by Food Not Bombs
  • Meeting held afterwards

Instagram: @peoplesparkberkeley
Tag photos with #peoplesparkberkeley
Text SAVETHEPARK to 81257

Poster:

Get Involved

Join the Discussion Group and Facebook groups for People’s Park and get the latest news, participate, and support this wonderful community resource. Connect here on the Contact page >

Photos of People’s Park areas enclosed by chain link fence, January 27, 2021. Stop the theft of People’s Park open community green space!

Chain link fence at People’s Park, South East corner, January 27, 2021
Chain link fence at People’s Park, South East corner, January 27, 2021
Chain link fence at People’s Park, North side, January 27, 2021
Chain link fence at People’s Park, North side, January 27, 2021
Chain link fence at People’s Park, looking North East, January 27, 2021
Chain link fence at People’s Park, looking North East, January 27, 2021
Save People’s Park: Protect this precious Berkeley open space from developer profiteering
Save People’s Park: Protect this precious Berkeley open space from developer profiteering