From A Time Ago and Then

It was in places such as the Rap Center that people picked up on whatever buzz was going on around town. If the University was trying to raze a condemned house the buzz would go around that there was a party at the condemned house's address. Free acid would mysteriously appear everywhere and street people would show-up to get it on. Someone would kick things off when the local cops inevitably arrived by tossing a bottle or a brick.  The police then busted up the party and unceremoniously escorted people off the "Liberated" property. The more stubborn resisters might have their heads busted and taken to jail to cool off for the night. The incident would then be picked-up by the Berkeley Barb as an "Occupation" of the property ... another Peoples Park situation broken-up by the "Pigs".

However, the demographics of Berkeley had been shifting. The middle-class; i.e., the tax base, was moving out to the suburbs. Students were more concerned about grades and courses as the War in Vietnam also shifted towards the end of 19 70 and protest marches had gone main-stream.. Students were barely available for minor revolutionary activism such as these. The political radicals were gaining strength and would soon (in the next few years) be electing mayors and city council folks. The street people were getting to be less of an asset and beginning to be more of a nuisance. Still, places such as the Free Clinic and Rap Center served to keep the street people available for actions deemed less affective and necessary but still utilized out of old habits that die hard. One such incident was so absurd it would have been hilarious had it not been so tragic.

Chapter: Berzerkeley Blues; To be continued....