Embry, Pamela c= —— ‘Sent: nest Tal AM To: Polizziani, Stephanie; Arreguin, Jesse L.; Manager, C; PRC (Police Review Commission) Subject: 2100 block of McKinlay Ave, - complaint regarding seizure of 2100 block of McKinley Hello, For the last four nights, we have been living in an armed camp after dark, Our block (2100 block of McKinley which is directly behind the police station) has been barricaded at both ends each night, with police officers requiring identification from residents. I was walking up Addison on Friday evening from the North Berkeley BART station going home, and as I approached McKinley street, as soon as I was within yelling distance, police officers were yelling at me to stop. They wanted me to stop and then yell at them to identify myself. It ‘was as if they were afiaid I was a suicide bomber. For four nights there have been armored vehicles covered with robo-cops who sit with motors running, glaring at us if we leave our houses. Ranks of robo-cops actually marching, then later high fives and laughter as they debrief on the sidewalk right outside our living room. All audible through the walls of our living room. Our walls and those of our neighbors. ‘We have lost the quiet enjoyment of our homes without having any say in the matter. How did this happen? I am outraged that problems with demonstrators in commercial centers a good distance from our homes have meant that we have to live in such a militarized zone, Monday was the worst, but last night, Tuesday, was only better because a number of us gathered on the sidewalk to protest the noise. Still, some of the robo-cops clearly felt we were being somehow disloyal. It has become an very uncomfortable place to live, and I would really like to know how the decision was made to do this to us. Itall began on Friday, December 5, when we woke up to find posted outside our front door laminated “No Parking Tow Away” signs for a “Special Event” that would begin at noon on Saturday and continue to midnight. These signs were also posted in the 2000 block of McKinley, and at least along one block of Grant Street, Allston Way and Bancroft Way. was under the impression that 76 hours notice was required to make an arca a tow away zone, Because I was curious, I walked over to the police station and stopped a police officer to ask what the signs were about. The police officer said he had no idea. I stopped one of the parking enforcement officers in one of the little cars, but he had no idea what the signs were about, So I walked over to the permit office, and they did not know, They directed me to the traffic department in another building around the comer. L walked around the comer and went up to the traffic department, but they did not know anything about the signs. They directed me one floor down to a department I don’t remember the name of. Maybe planning, Parks? There, no one knew anything about the signs, but as I stood there, a secretary ame back from her lunch break and said, oh, I think I got an email this moming, She went to her computer and found the email from the police department, which accurately described the laminated signs that had been posted and said it was necessary because of planned demonstrations. I expressed concern over the lack of notice and the scope of the area covered by the tow away zone, which then extended over at least four square blocks. Later that day or the next, I believe most of the signs were removed, except for the 2100 block of McKinley Avenue, where we live ‘On our block, the signs remained On Saturday, December 6, at around 2 p.m., I observed that cars were being towed (with less than 48 hours notice). That evening, police blockades were set up at either end of our street. Once it became dark, suddenly our street was a parking lot/locker room for groups of robo-cops. They were noisy, clamping on their armor early on, and then taking it off after a long night of fighting the kids, I guess. The camaraderie would have been touching but for the complete lack of understanding that they were standing ten feet from our front door, and ‘were making so much noise and exhaust fumes that we could hardly sit there. They were asked to keep it down but did nothing but look at us like we were disloyal traitors, The helicopters overhead did not help. My husband left to walk around and was constantly harassed for identification, I stayed inside, not feeling well. On Sunday around 11 a.m., photocopied paper was taped on the laminated signs to extend the tow away period from noon to midnight on both Sunday, December 7 and Monday, December 8, Around 2 p.m. we observed ‘cars were being towed (with less than three hours notice). I guess they got tired of towing cars, so they replaced the sign again, but this time re-stating the times so that it is continuous (Sun day, December 7 noon to Monday, December 8 at midnight). Now we cannot park there even during the mornings. No notice given, no explanations for why this block is needed for a locker room area. No consideration given that we live here. My husband and I live directly behind the old city hall. The front door to our living room opens directly onto a small porch and then the sidewalk, which runs directly along the street. The distance from our front door (and the front doors of our neighbors) to the sidewalk is about ten feet. Our space is being violated each night. ‘We had thought that by ignoring it, things would get better, but the abuse is continuing, Yesterday, new signs ‘were posted that say our block is a tow away zone from 2 p.m, Monday, December 8, to midnight on Saturday, December 13. Really? This is not ok. You cannot keep doing this to us. Itis torture. Tt must stop, or we want compensation for having lost the quiet enjoyment of our leaseholds, We demand that the signs be removed immediately and that the Berkeley police department find more suitable environs for their staging and locker room activities, Enough is enough.