We want to briefly address a situation that has raised serious concerns for our group and the broader community.
A civil harassment petition was recently filed in response to routine documentation of the Hayes Street closure on the 400 block — a public street operating under a city permit. At an initial court review, the judge rejected the core allegations and significantly narrowed the matter to a narrow, technical issue. There was no finding of harassment, threats, or improper conduct.
We are sharing this not to dramatize or litigate the matter in public, but to be transparent. Documenting public space and publicly issued permits is a basic form of civic oversight. When that activity is reframed as harassment, it raises a difficult but necessary question:
Has this gone too far?
Public streets belong to everyone. Oversight is not misconduct, and scrutiny is not a personal attack. We will allow the legal process to conclude and will share further context once it does.
Thank you for continuing to engage thoughtfully and in good faith.