Beach Bonfires

(Police have "visited" several bonfires since that time. We have tried a couple of other locations for our ritual, but none worked for most people at the ritual.)

Reclaiming responded by organizing a bonfire defense plan as part of our Winter 2006 ritual.

The defense plan will be part of our upcoming bonfire rituals. The federal Park Service police (GGNRA) who patrol the beach know of Reclaiming's tradition of bonfires on the south stretch of Ocean Beach near Taraval Street. Reclaiming-San Francisco considers this section of beach a sacred site for our Solstice rituals, and has in the past informed the Park Service that we do not intend to move (see Reclaiming's letter to the Park Service).

Authorities have been attempting for several years to ban bonfires on most of Ocean beach due to budget shortfalls that affect beach maintenance staffing. Reclaiming and other groups and individuals who use the beach have attended hearings, written letters, and organized to prevent this drastic change in beach policy, which threatens to eliminate one of the last "commons" spaces in San Francisco.

This RQ feature gives background information as well as sharing plans for upcoming rituals, in the event the authorities attempt to enforce their policy:

Background article on Summer Solstice 2006, when police extinguished the bonfire following the ritual.
Dozens of letters of support for bonfire rights at Ocean Beach.
Reclaimings nonviolent response plan, formulated in a community meeting held in December 2006. These plans take into account the wide variety of responses to this issue, and offer a range of roles for participants. This plan was rehearsed at Winter Solstice 2006, and will be adapted for future rituals.
A letter to the Park Service from ritual planners, announcing our intent to continue holding our Solstice rituals at our traditional location.
Click here for a diagram of our bonfire plans

To contact San Francisco Reclaiming ritual planners, email SFRPC@yahoogroups.com.

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Defending the Beach Bonfire

Reclaiming Organizes to Defend Ritual Bonfires

Park Service Threatens Solstice Bonfire in San Francisco

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