Milpas Group Says Violence, Crime Go Unchecked

The Milpas Community Association (MCA) led a protest march to City Hall Saturday morning to voice its members' belief that marijuana dispensaries, gangs and homeless people were diminishing public safety.
The march began at 11 am in the parking lot of the Amtrak station, moved up State Street to City Hall and culminated in a small rally that called on City Council members to make policy changes and increase police presence.
Christina Pizzaro said into the microphone that people being murdered and sent back to their native countries in boxes was “unacceptable,” a reference to the beating of 37-year-old George Ied on October 12th. Ied was assaulted as he walked home from work on the Lower Eastside, allegedly by gang-members, and has since died from his injuries.
“Everything, block by block, needs to be locked down for safety,” she said.
The group held a large banner that said, ”trouble in paradise,” and shouted, “We want more police,” as they made their way up State Street.
More comments focused on the increase in gang related violence, but anger toward the homeless was apparent.
“Not all of the homeless are bad people,” a participating anonymous woman said. “The bad ones should be put in prison, and the good ones should be put in camps.”
Another woman shouted, “No more street people,” as she made her way past a group of homeless on State Street.
However, Vice President of the MCA, Sebastian Aldana, said they are not against the homeless, and that they aren’t “singling anyone out.”
“All we want is public safety,” he said.
Jarret Gorini, a member of MCA's Board of Trustees, said they're concerned with the impact the homeless have on the community, especially on Milpas because of Casa Esparanza, but they don’t need to close it.
“There are many ways to deal with the impact without closing Casa Esparanza,” he said.
He didn’t say how.
The speakers made only a few comments on the homelessness, referencing primarily gang related incidents, but they made it clear that aggressive panhandling, and other encounters with the homeless, including public defecation, loitering, and intoxication, did make them feel unsafe.
Sharon Byrne, MCA member, said they would soon be handing over to city officials a 200-page report detailing criminal activity in the Milpas area. It’s an attempt to persuade The City Council to make changes in the policies they say promote crime, like marijuana dispensaries, liquor stores, and Casa Esparanza.
“The city’s policy on gang violence is a failure,” said Tony Vassello, downtown neighborhood advocate.
Calls for more police officers were repeated. Sergeant Mike McGrew of the Santa Barbara Police Department, who is also President of the Santa Barbara Police Officers Association, addressed the crowd.
“We’re doing our best to keep things safe,” he said, “but you’re right, there’s not enough of us.”
Some people who were not participating in the rally responded skeptically to the anger of the group.
A man who asked not to be named pointed out the police presence at the march, and questioned needing more. He said he felt safe outside in Santa Barbara.
Another person on State Street yelled at the passing protesters, “Yeah, keep the weed out of the stores and on the street.”
Two of the more conservative-leaning City Council Members were present, Dale Francisco and Frank Hotchkiss, though they did not speak.
The rally ended after about an hour and participants stayed for a moment chatting in De La Guerra Plaza.
“I’m excited about the future of Milpas,” Gorini said.

By Travis Dylan Pastori


Photo by Nick St. Oegger: A homeless woman on State Street reacts to the noisy MCA marchers on Saturday.