People’s Park supporters gathered in Berkeley recently to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the park’s establishment.
“It’s the 55th anniversary of the park and the first year in exile,” Berkeley Copwatch volunteer and People’s Park supporter Russel Bates said. “It’s just a joy to be here on a perfect day — like the old Berkeley, when we wanted to have an event, we’d make it happen.”
Saturday’s event included an information table for People’s Park issues, live music at the corner of Haste Street and Telegraph Avenue and at Dwight Triangle — historically referred to as Chuck Herrick Peace and Freedom Memorial Park — vendor tables, face paint, free food and juggling performances, among other attractions.
“It’s a mutual endeavor, old farts and young farts all farting together.” Russel Bates, People’s Park supporter
During an interview at the event, Bates described it as “radical old Berkeley meeting radical new Berkeley.” “It’s a mutual endeavor, old farts and young farts all farting together.”
Bryce Miller, UC Berkeley student and Vice President of Telegraph for People, a student group that wants to make Telegraph Avenue near the school car-free, also volunteered at the event.
“We’ve been getting very involved in the People’s Park movement because we know that a Telegraph truly for the people is not just one without cars, but it’s one with an open and free People’s Park,” Miller said. “People’s Park has been the center of so many movements for radical social change, and it should continue to be that way, but right now it has been occupied by this military-like force. They’re trying to build housing on it, which we’re huge supporters of more housing, but there are so many other sites where they could build housing that aren’t on this historic park site.”
The event began at 1 p.m. and lasted most of the remainder of the day. It was combined with a 4/20 celebration, a holiday which celebrates marijuana and, now, its legalization.