Free Speech Curtailed in Davis
April 25, 2025
Farmers Market Discourages Community Engagement
By Alan “Lorax” Hirsch
(Alan passes out “love your neighbor” signs in the farmer’s market.)
Just when you thought our political rights could not be more threatened, this Trumpian zeitgeist seems to have come to Davis.
They are dramatically reducing visibility of community/free speech area at the Saturday farmer market by expelling these groups from their traditional tabling area along C street north of the restrooms. They will be displaced 1 block south and 2/3 of a block west to an unpaved part of Central Park. They will be isolated from commercial vendors currently set on sidewalk next to C Street- community & political groups will be in an unpaved grass area close to B street. An area that is unshaded and hot, so visitors won’t want to linger. This area is invisible to shoppers on C street as it will be hidden behind vendor’s trucks, banners and awnings. The Net: these Group’s tables won’t get any casual foot traffic.
The now lively Saturday market community area may go the way of the Wednesday free speech/community tablers. DFMA Market management decided to displace Wednesday tablers from under the awning to a similarly isolated, sunny & hot area far away from the half-empty market shed. These tablers got no foot traffic in that location – and the sun stressed the volunteers - so now there is little or no community tabling on Wednesdays.
Dropping the Bomb
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