SafeGround advocates rallied at Sacramento City Hall this morning. Over 150 people congregated in support of SafeGround and to rally around the push for a moratorium on the city’s anti-camping ordinance.

The rally started at 10am, but was preceded by SafeGround music written and performed by Glen Bailey. The Rev. David Moss started the rally out with a prayer asking city officials for a favor, to have “compassion, justice, and mercy “ and “for something that is a basic human right for most people, but not the homeless – the right to sleep in safety.”

Joan Burke, a homeless advocate, read a declaration from the Sacramento Democratic Party announcing it’s support for the SafeGround movement, and one or more campgrounds sanctioned by the city and run by the homeless themselves.

Several other advocates and supporters spoke including Mark Merin, the owner of the SafeGround property, and Tina Reynolds owner of Uptown Studios. Jim Gilland one of the SafeGround campers also spoke about life on the street, “It’s depressing when you have no place to go. It’s depressing when you have no place to sleep. It’s depressing when you have no food” and why he believes in SafeGround “I believe everyone deserves a safe place to sleep. A chance to better themselves, to get away from poverty.”

The Rally ended with the demonstrators marching around City Hall with a megaphone shouting “Safe Ground, Safe Ground!” and holding signs that say “Where do we go now?” Between the megaphone and the sound system those inside the City Hall building had to have heard at least some of the rally; whether or not they are listening is a different story.