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Homeless will sleep in peace By Myles Murphy Ashland Daily Tidings For the first time in eight years, homeless Ashlanders can sleep outside in peace without keeping half an eye open for police. Maybe. "Were going to camp out right in the middle of the plaza for two days and two nights," 42-year-old homeless activist Daniel Rueff said this morning at the start of the two-day downtown protest. The city of Ashland has issued a permit to allow Rueff and fellow protesters to gather day and night at the Plaza and the Lithia Park entrance area from 10 a.m. today through 10 a.m. Thursday. However, the permit is for the protest gathering and does not allow camping, stating specifically, "It should be noted that camping laws in Ashland should be adhered to." Protesters plan to spend the night, but is the act of sleeping in a sleeping bag on the Plaza to protest the camping ban an act of free speech or a violation of city rules - even with the permit? "I can't answer that question, but it's an excellent question," City Attorney Paul Nolte said this morning. "There is that possibility (of citing participants for camping ban violations), but until we see how it goes, I can't say." "They are not permitted to camp on the Plaza," Nolte added. "But they can stay there all night. We've had all-night vigils before." The permit also reminds participants not to drum or play musical instruments outside times allowed by the city, not to block pedestrian traffic, and adds, "dogs are not permitted on the Plaza and � dog excrement must be immediately cleaned up and deposited in an approved receptacle." Under a 1995 city ordinance, "No person shall camp in or upon any sidewalk, street, alley, lane, public right-of-way, park, or any other publicly-owned property or under any bridge or viaduct, unless otherwise specifically authorized by this code or by declaration of the Mayor in emergency circumstances." In recent months, homeless advocates in Ashland have spoken up at city council meetings, complaining of increased police pestering and calling for an end to the camping ban. "People are getting fines and arrested are being made into criminal just because they are sleeping," Rueff said. "They have to hide from the police, and these are the same people who are supposed to be helping them. I disagree with any laws that are made against necessity." A handful of protesters started the day off with picket signs outside the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's Elizabethan Theater. From there, they planned to meet up with others on the Plaza by 11 a.m., joining representatives from Ashland's peace movement, Southern Oregon University students and supporters from the environmental community. Allan Thomas, 40, hopes the protest will be a first step in bringing some kind of permanent camping area for homeless people in Ashland, similar to designated areas in city's such as Portland. "I lost my home when it was condemned and now we're homeless and living in a care," Thomas said. "I might have a job in three weeks, but what do I do until then?" Representatives from the city will be handing out notices printed up this morning to inform downtown businesses of the permitted event. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -