People's Park

People's Park in Berkeley, California, USA is a park off of Telegraph Avenue at Haste Street near the University of California (UC) that was created as part of the city's radical activism in the Sixties. It is today a popular hangout among locals with a community garden, a performance stage, a basketball court and the much-loved "Free Box." It is also the serving spot of East Bay Food Not Bombs and operates as a sanctuary for many of Berkeley's homeless. At times it has been a drug haven, for reasons that have been a topic of controversy. One explanation was that UC police often refused to enter the park, not being sure of their safety. Another was that UC deliberately let the park become derelict and unattractive, in an effort to reduce community support for the park, so that it could be closed down without opposition and its land converted to parking lots or dormitories.

Related Topics:
Berkeley, California - USA - Telegraph Avenue - University of California - The Sixties - East Bay - Food Not Bombs

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The mythology surrounding the park is a major part of local radical culture. A mural near the park depicts the death of James Rector, a student who died on "Bloody Thursday" (see below).

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