Setting the record straight

Some rumors are going around regarding this post: "We have a new police Commander."

I wrote two sentences announcing the new commander and all of a sudden all kinds of comments came in that have nothing to do with it. Regarding the comment that somebody left (anonymously) about six officers harassing an artist, the truth is that the police have asked this particular artist to get off the sidewalk many times because he is blocking the right of way.

They have asked him nicely to talk with CocoWalk about setting up shop on the walkways inside their property. The artist prefers to yell and call the police names and threaten them to arrest him, rather than do that. The police also suggested he get a City permit if he would like be on the right of way, he refuses to do that. He would prefer to harass the police, rather than the other way around.

As for the new Commander even being involved in this, he just took over, this problem with the artist has been going on for months. The other night might have been the tipping point, where the police finally swept in and had him removed from the right of way.

I do agree that artists should be allowed to set up anywhere and create art, same for musicians, creating music. But blocking the right of way on the sidewalk is not the proper thing to do.