Un-masked Biotic Baking Brigade (BBB) operatives Gerard Livernois, Rahula Janowski and Justin Gross were each sentenced to the maximum six-month jail sentence on February 25 for their November 7 pieing of San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown to protest Brown’s high handed, anti-poor policies. While Brown makes sweetheart deals with developers, spends millions to benefit the rich and powerful, and practices not-so benign neglect towards San Francisco renters who make up the majority of the city, the poor and homeless are literally dying on the streets.
Despite the crisis on the streets, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Ernest Goldsmith found the BBB’s actions, not Brown’s and the political elites, to be criminal and deserving of a maximum penalty. The judge cited the unrepentant attitude of the defendants and the need to deter others in support of his decision to hand down the maximum sentence. BBB operatives are reportedly concerned at Brown’s unrepentant attitude as well.
Janowski and Gross were immediately taken to San Francisco County jail, while Livernois is temporarily out on $20,000 bail while he considers an appeal. The three were convicted of battery but acquitted of assaulting a public official in a January jury trial.
Despite the harsh sentences, BBB operatives consider the action against Mayor Brown extremely effective at raising issues rarely mentioned in the current climate of rising stock prices and glittering developments. Agents of the BBB have informed Slingshot that the struggle against business as usual will continue! To support BBB activities, contact Friends of the Biotic Baking Brigade, 3288 21st Street, #92, San Francisco, CA 94110, 415 267-5976. Contact the BBB by e-mailing BBB_apple@hotmail.com.
Please support the BBB comrades while they are in jail. They will probably serve at least 4 months of their sentences, and won’t be out until June at the earliest. You can visit them on Saturday or Sunday (and other times). Call the jail at 415 522-8109 to find out about visiting hours. You’ll need an ID and no outstanding warrants. You can also put money on their books so they have money to spend while they’re inside. Bring cash to the 1st floor of the Hall of Injustice, 8th & Bryant.
You can also write letters of support to Rahula and Justin in jail: Rahula Janowski, #1818075, 8EPOD, 425 7th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103; Justin Gross #1818071, County Jail 8, B-POD, 425 7th St., SF, CA 94103. Also, call the SF District Attorney at 415 553-1754 to express your outrage.