MELBOURNE – David Bitner has performed in festive Friday Fest drum circles for nearly 15 years at Campbell Park in downtown Melbourne. And if City Hall officials make him get a street-performer permit to play, he says he’ll quit because of that “terrible” new policy.
“The problems that they’re having downtown are with people who are being rude. When I’ve busked downtown, we didn’t go on the sidewalk. We didn’t block entrances to businesses. We weren’t playing amplified,” Bitner said. He plays bass and percussion in the band Oranga Tanga, which was formerly the Brevard Busking Coalition.
“There are already ordinances for panhandling that can get rid of the troublemakers,” Bitner said.
Tuesday night, Bitner and a band of 15 to 20 protesters — some carrying guitars and drums — gathered outside Melbourne City Hall to oppose potential regulations governing street performers.
Protesters brandished signs bearing messages such as “Don’t Kill Art,” “Music is my Soul,” “Busking is Protected by the 1st Amendment as a Form of Free Speech!” and “I Don’t Need Permission to Rock!!!”
But some merchants, including Mayor Kathy Meehan, complain that some of Melbourne’s downtown street performers are pestersome panhandlers who masquerade as musicians, harass shoppers and pedestrians, block sidewalks and blare battery-powered amplifiers.
City Council discussion of a potential downtown busking ban surfaced last month. Council members initially scheduled a Tuesday public hearing on street performers, but the hearing was postponed until March 10. They did not discuss buskers Tuesday — but Councilman Dan Porsi predicted “an exceptionally long meeting” on March 10.
Melbourne Main Street created an online poll, which is posted at melbourneflorida.org, at the city’s request to collect opinions about street performers.
As of Tuesday afternoon, 76 percent of the 496 respondents opposed limits or regulations on downtown street performers, said Casey Gilbert, executive director. Eighteen percent of respondents preferred to limit time, location and frequency of performances via permits, while 6 percent supported a complete downtown ban., Gilbert said.
A second poll question asks: “If the City of Melbourne chose to require a permit for street performers, rather than ban performing completely, would you support this ordinance?”
Through Thursday, 59 percent of respondents voted no and 41 percent voted yes.
After Tuesday’s outdoor protest, demonstrators displayed signs during the City Council meeting from the front row for more than two hours.
“We’re already censored enough as it is. And we don’t need the city dictating what we can say or do,” said Charles Brent Wolfe, who held a Native American drum during the protest. He is a Melbourne comedian who performs at Players Billiards Club and Open Mike’s at Florida Discount Music.
“It’s not only an assault on artists. It’s an assault on our freedoms in America,” Wolfe said.
In Asheville, North Carolina, city officials require sidewalk entertainers to perform between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. They are prohibited from soliciting, obstructing sidewalks and doorways, and performing within 40 feet of another performer, according to the city website.
Last September, Asheville buskers organized and collected petition signatures against potential additional rules governing street performers. A public forum also took place in December, said Meghan Rogers, executive director of the Asheville Downtown Association.
“There have been some run-ins between buskers and business owners, certainly,” Rogers said. “We have a very active busking community in Asheville. We know that our busking community is beloved. It’s a tourism draw.”
Contact Neale at 321-242-3638, rneale@floridatoday.com or follow @RickNeale1 on Twitter
Online feedback
Melbourne Main Street created an online poll on the city website to collect opinions about street performers. Among the comments:
* Most “buskers” I have seen downtown seem more interested in blocking sidewalks to intimidate passers-by for spare change than sharing music. It is clear that some of these performers bought a third-hand guitar to get around the panhandling ordinance.
* My first time visiting Downtown Melbourne, my husband and I stood outside of a shop and listened to the street performers for nearly 30 minutes. The entertainment was wonderful. I would visit the area again for such a nice experience.
* Because of the type of people performing, I always feel unsafe walking past them. They yell after you and generally make you feel uncomfortable.
* I have never had a negative experience. The people I have heard have added pleasure to my downtown experience by sharing their talents along with a smile.
* During the January 2015 Friday Fest, a street performer with guitar in his hand approached the 21-year-old son of our friends for money, stepping within 3 feet of his person, invading his personal space ($2, to be specific.) The man was informed that panhandling was illegal in Downtown, especially aggressively.
* I have very much enjoyed the street performers in Downtown Melbourne. I particularly enjoy the drum circle that is there at Friday Fests. I LOVE street performers and feel they add to the ambiance.
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