The Rainbow Family Gathering near Susanville has some residents on edge, with officials warning of possible crime and environmental damage as thousands of attendees head toward a site in the national forest.
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Up to 10,000 people are expected at the annual event held in the first week of July by the loose-knit counterculture group, the Forest Service said.
Since 1972, the Rainbow Family of Living Light has converged each summer on undeveloped public land for what is described as “a non-commercial backcountry camping experience where we practice how to live in peace.” This year it picked a site near Red Rock Lookout, in the mountains of Plumas National Forest. People begin arriving for the event shortly after the location was announced on June 17.
News releases from Plumas National Forest managers refer to health, safety and environmental risks and note that the Rainbow Family does not apply for the special use permit required for any event with more than 75 people. “They claim to have no leaders and no one member of the group who can speak for them or sign a permit on behalf of the group,” said information posted by the Forest Service.
Two Forest Service orders were issued last week concerning driving and parking near the group’s campsite.
Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies from nearby communities are warning residents to “stay alert and secure your property,” as their officers will be spread thin during the holiday week in the popular recreation area.
A release from the Plumas County sheriff’s office said the Rainbow Family “often includes individuals who engage in illegal or socially unacceptable behavior, such as public nudity, civil disobedience, drug or alcohol abuse, and confrontations with locals.” The agency said residents should lock their cars and “keep valuables out of your yards,” and Susanville Public Safety Chief Mike Bollinger advised not to pick up hitchhikers, “not for the next few weeks,” according to SierraDailyNews.com.
Lassen County Supervisor Jason Ingram called on residents to join him Friday to “(respectfully and peacefully) resist this in any way we can.” A plan to caravan to the campsite apparently was abandoned, but Ingram alleged in a Facebook post that he and a few other people went to the area on Sunday and were confronted by Rainbow Family members.
A website for the gathering’s attendees encourages respectful and peaceful behavior. “Alcohol is Discouraged, Guns are Inappropriate, Violence is contrary to the Spirit,” it says, and notes that cannabis is illegal in national forests.
The Forest Service is holding a virtual public meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 25, to “inform area residents and visitors” about the gathering.