The Chico City Council voted 4-3 Tuesday night to
reinstate the city’s sit-lie ordinance. This is the first of two votes. The second will be on Nov. 6.
The ordinance originally approved in November 2013 had expired. Tuesday's vote added an amendment doing away with any expiration date.
Two dozen people passionately spoke to the council on both sides of the issue, some of them explosively.
Proponents of reinstating the ordinance
cited business and safety as their core reasons for supporting reinstatement.
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| Police confront protester Patrick Newman. |
Chico resident Patrick Newman, who launched Chico Friends
of the Street and opposes sit-lie, read a portion of a recent federal appeals court decision to make his case against the ordinance.
In Martin v. City of Boise, the Ninth Circuit Appellate Court ruled that the city had violated homeless people's Eighth Amendment rights when it issued citations for sleeping or
camping in public if no housing alternative is available.
Newman warned the council that he would read the court's decision past his allotted comment
time.
“I am going to read this quote from the Martin case until this meeting has been adjourned or I have been removed from this building.” Newman said.
“I am going to read this quote from the Martin case until this meeting has been adjourned or I have been removed from this building.” Newman said.
Once his time was up, Mayor Sean Morgan called for a five-minute break. Newman was soon handcuffed and escorted out by police. Newman was
released by authorities outside of the chambers.
Newman's was not the only protest.
While council members explained their individual decisions and then voted, people against the ordinance stood and turned their backs to the council.
While council members explained their individual decisions and then voted, people against the ordinance stood and turned their backs to the council.
-- Rachael Bayuk