Musicians United Against Censorship/ They went too far
From the Facebook page:
The police will no longer allow Musicians to play on Granville street Friday and Saturday nights. The permits only allow anyone to perform until 10pm, but on Granville street they used to let artists play tell 2 am Fridays and Saturdays.(The nights that artists make most of their living) They have fined artists($250 fines!!!!!), are threatening to confiscate instruments and arrest artists. It is beyond time for us to show that the arts community will not be treated in such a way.
Amplification is no longer legal as there is no permit available for amplification. So acts that involve using amplification(rappers with beats, electric guitars, bass, so on) can no longer do their thing.
We will be hosting a flash mob concert in protest of the now official "Music Police", with some of Vancouver most talented coming to perform in support of street music, and performance.
They said stop making music on the street. I refuse. They said the people don't want musicians on the street. Join us may 14th at 9pm, and show them how wrong they are.
check out current busking laws here:
http://vancouver.ca/engsvcs/streets/retailUse/busking.htm
Our proposed amendments:
-Allow buskers to make music on Granville Street between Davie and Georgia until 3 am on Fridays and Saturdays.
-Allow musical instruments and amplification on English Bay Between the Hours of 10 AM and 9:30 PM.
-Enforce decibel levels rather than have distinctions between amplified and non amplified music, 90 decibel max From 7 AM tell 11 PM, and 88 decibel max from 11 PM tell 2 AM Fridays and Saturdays. All decibel levels are to be measured at 10 feet from the sound source.
Your rights under the Canadian Charter Of Rights And Freedoms:
http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/charter/1.html#anchorbo-ga:l_I-gb:s_2
Invite all your friends, and let's gain the power of the people.
The protest starts at 9 p.m. tomorrow night (Friday) at Granville and Robson. Even if you cannot make it, please help spread the word. If this goes through, what's to stop the police and/or City Hall from just banning public music altogether? Bring your instruments, bring your voices and help us tell the police that enough is enough.