OPEN LETTER TO ANCHORAGE POWERS

Paul Bauer Jr
Anchorage, AK
Oct. 26, 2003

To:
Mayor Mark Begich
Planning, Development and Public Works
Anchorage Parks and Recreation Commission
Public Facilities Advisory Commission Public Safety Commission

On Saturday, Oct 25, in the early afternoon, a rally was held in the Town Square adjacent to the Alaska Center of Performing Arts. A crowd of about 100-150 protesters gathered in the Town Square to chant and give speeches. Many held huge signs and posters. A U.S. flag was displayed that had dingbats in replacement of the stars. Information tables that contained literature, and large displays of posters littered the side of the Alaska Center of Performing Arts. Many protesters where lined-up against the Performing Arts building. A large sign was displayed in front of the main entrance near the curb to the Performing Arts building.

By 2:30 p.m. approximately 50-75 protesters had taken to the streets with signs, chanted very loudly as they marched east against traffic on 5th Ave, past the 5th Ave Mall, disrupting the traffic flow along 5th Ave, C and A streets. Some where yelling and pointing at the occupants in the vehicles stalled along 5th Ave.

Many other demonstrators were still at the Town Square with all the tables and displays still standing. At the same time, people from all over Anchorage gathered to attend a show (Barrage) being held inside the Performing Arts Center. Many people who came to the PAC to attend an entertaining show where subjected to political rhetoric and controversy.

At the same time people where gathering to attend the show, outside the Center, on the Center grounds, protesters and gatherers where able to shelter their tables, posters and literature from the rain. People had to pass the booths set-up along the PAC to get from one side to the other in the rain. Inside the Center, protesters where able to use facility restrooms. In essence the demonstrators were loitering on the Center grounds without a permit.

Issues:

• During the clashes of these events there was no coordination between management of public facility usage. Two entirely diverse events clashed at the same time adjacent to each other. Parks and Recreation was aware that the event occurring in the Town Square was controversial, disruptive and noteworthy.
• Poor management on the Centers ability to control facility access and control problems with loitering on public grounds without a permit. The facility is a public managed facility like all other facilities and requires proper security and permitting on its grounds.
• No measures were taken to define the line between the Town Square and the Center to allow show participants to walk freely without being subjected to political rhetoric. Nor where there any measures from the Center security to remove demonstrators from inside the building and immediately outside on Center grounds.
• Is the city responsible to shelter outside activities inside the facility during inclement weather, or is the organization suppose to provide their own shelter?
• The organization did not have the proper Right-Of-Way Special Activities Permit required to walk along 5th Ave.
• The city did not take measures to control demonstrators along 5th Ave and enforce Special Activities permits. No police presence was visible even though they walked passed the Downtown Sub-station.