“This is not a community space”

Excerpt from Francisco, an organizer and supporter of a defendant at the Hall of Justice in fall 2022

Francisco: It felt very clear that the courthouse is not, designed or intended for, any kind of community, uh…engagement? Or support or, any other, form, any other words you want to put in that phrase. Uh, and I-and I think the way that that struck me this time was that when you walk into a court room, there is a side of the room, which is the defense side of the room, and there's a side of the room that is the prosecution side of the room, and there is no, indication of that, anywhere. So, if you're going to court for the first time, like I--The first time I went to court, I didn't know that. And, I think I might have sat on the prosecution side by mistake. Um, and the--I knew better this time, but um, I ended up having to sit on the prosecution side anyways, because the defense side was full, um, which was great um, that that happened. But it did leave me thinking about the way that, that just to me felt like…stuck in my mind as-as something that made it really clear that this is not supposed to be a community space. It's not actually accessible.