Berkeley Reporter

by Steed Dropout
June, 22, 2015

“Why does anything have to die!””—Annon.

30 MINUTES BEFORE BALCONY CRASHED, COPS GOT NOISE COMPLAINT

Thirty minutes before a downtown balcony crashed onto a lower balcony, spilling six partiers to their deaths on the sidewalk—Berkeley police received a loud party complaint.

But the cops were tied up on a fireworks complaint and reports of gunshots, according to a staffer in the mayor’s office.
Continue reading “Six Irish Students Dead in Berkeley Balcony Collapse Didn’t Have to Die” »

by Steed Dropout
June 14, 2015

Cop pursuit. Photo by Ted Friedman.

Berkeley rates high with street people, and even those who have been arrested tell me they agree.

Now the ultimate best-of-award. Berkeley cops won’t gun you down from behind if you bolt. But are you feeling lucky, punk? (Eastwood).

According to on-line sources, the last time a Berkeley cop shot and killed a Berkeleyan was 2003. And that was a frontal shot and there was, reportedly, a threatening knife involved.

Continue reading “No Berkeley, Ca, Cop Shots In Your Back” »

by Steed Dropout
May 22, 2015

FORMERLY FUNKY BERKELEY WAS LOOKING FOR THE NEXT ADJECTIVE

Earth’s Bizarre Grand Opening last year. Photo by Ted Friedman.

Formerly Funky Berkeley was looking for the next adjective—bizarre—when the “Earth’s Bizarre” opened last year. One of those only in Berkeley scenarios. Only on Bizarre Berkeley’s South side, a few steps from Telegraph Avenue.
Continue reading “Bizarre Berkeley Bizarre’s Weird Demise” »

by Steed Dropout
May 13, 2015

Hate Man tidies Hate Camp on Birthday Eve. Photo by Ted Friedman.

Continue reading “Peoples Park Turns 46, April 26” »

by Steed Dropout
April 23, 2015

Butt-Head outside Caffe Med. Photo by Ted Friedman.

To call one Berkeley patrolman a people’s cop could be misleading, when so many of Berkeley’s cops are people’s cops.

But the Berkeley cop who sees his job as “protecting the people of Berkeley from the police,” and stubbornly refuses to write citations…that cop lays special claim to the title, People’s Cop.

The Berkeley People’s Cop has been rebuked, threatened with re-training, and with suspension by his supervisor for his unproductive citations record, he told Berkeley Reporter, recently.
Continue reading “Berkeley’s People’s Cop Commands Compliance” »

by Steed Dropout
April 17, 2015

Arrest Happens. Photo by Ted Friedman.

THEY MAKE US; WE MAKE THEM BACK

[Make is cop talk: to surveil]

Call us a cop town, with two police forces: city and university.

Berkeley cops of renown, even before the Peoples Park “riots” of 1969. Founding Chief Vollmer put BPD in the public-eye by hiring the first women cops at the turn of the 20th century…bike patrols, fingerprinting…criminology milestones.

What are they doing now?

Watching us. We’re watching them back.
Continue reading “Known by Berkeley Police” »

by Steed Dropout
April 13, 2015

ROLAND PETERSON’S 16 YEARS HELMING AVE. BUSINESS GROUP HONORED–BUT ENDED

Mr. Telegraph: last tour. Photo by Ted Friedman.

A big bunch of Berkeley officials, businessmen, and former street ambassadors showed up at Remy’s Restaurant near People’s Park, last week, to express its appreciation for Roland Peterson, Executive Director of the Telegraph Business Improvement District, who was leaving his sixteen year job.

His departure from the Telegraph Avenue Business Improvement District, (TBID) after 16 years at the top, was not voluntary, he told Berkeley Reporter.

“In this job, you make both friends and enemies,” Peterson said. His departure from ‘the Bid’ followed criticisms of his performance in a TBID evaluation questionnaire. “The criticisms quoted me out of context,” Peterson countered.
Continue reading “Berkeley’s Mr. Telegraph Ave. Honored by City” »

by Steed Dropout
April 3, 2015

“LIFE ON THE STREETS IS BAD FOR OUR HEALTH”

Shadow Ninja. Photo by Ted Friedman.

“Life on the streets is bad for health,” says Ninja Kitty, a downtown street-person-spokesman.

He said this at a news conference, last week, outside a downtown cinema. The news conference was a response to a much viewed video showing a Berkeley downtown ambassador tromping a transient.
Continue reading “Hard Life of Berkeley’s Downtown Street People — News Analysis” »

by Steed Dropout
March 30, 2015

Deep Cut. Photo by Ted Friedman.

Michael Delacour, the acknowledged founder of Berkeley’s People’s Park, was worried about Cal’s plans for the park.

He sat through a Cal student council meeting (ASUC) before Spring break to warn students that the university was about to take the park, as it had in 1969.

Under attack, Delacour told me, was the People’s Park trees and the People’s Park stage.

Crying wolf over the park runs rampant in the park. Some one(s) at the park will tell you often and often that the university is engaged in battle with the park, has it under surveillance, and is ready to come in to “take back the park.”

Continue reading “Berkeley’s People’s Park Tree-cut Cuts Deep” »

by Steed dropout
Mar. 24, 2015

‘You don’t like it when we sprang?
Sit down, let’s talk, and make some change!’

‘Arresting people always fails!
Give us housing, not more jails!’

‘Give us a home!
Leave us alone!’

A FLAG, A BRASS BAND, AND RUNNING WOLF

A flag, a band, and Running Wolf. Photo by Ted Friedman.

Continue reading “Inside Berkeley’s Latest Demo” »