Someone put an effigy in this council member’s parking spot. ‘Love it!’ he says

Fresno City Councilman Steve Brandau on Tuesday found himself the subject of some political art.

Call it a parking-spot protest.

Someone left an old mattress in the place reserved at City Hall for the District 2 representative’s vehicle. On the mattress was an effigy of Brandau tucked under a dirty blanket. Written on the mattress in black marker were the words “retweet this,” along with a crudely drawn hand, middle finger extended.

“In my parking spot @ City Hall!! A homeless Me in effigy!! Love it!!” Brandau wrote in a picture of the parking stall he posted on Twitter. He later went on the air with radio station KMJ to talk about it.

The creation was an apparent response to Brandau’s Unhealthy and Hazardous Camping Act, which the council approved in August. The law, which bans chronic camping on public property, is seen by some as criminalizing homelessness. At the time of the vote, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union said the law could violate homeless people’s civil rights.

It sparked a midnight protest when it went into effect in September.

Brandau found out about the effigy via text message Tuesday morning. By the time he arrived at City Hall to see it, Fresno police had removed the mattress.

They took it more seriously than he did, he says. “They treated it like a crime scene.

“I thought it was funny and creative and didn’t have much of a problem with it.”

It’s not the first time the council member has been depicted in protest art. In December, someone created a nativity scene with pictures of Brandau, Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims and Fresno police Chief Jerry Dyer and left it outside City Hall. Brandau was depicted as the baby Jesus, with a red halo and devil horns. Scribbled atop the manager were the words “Jesus was homeless.”

Pictures of the nativity scene were posted on Facebook.

Nor is it the first time Brandau has come under protest for his views and comments. In 2014, he was the focus of a social media campaign after penning a commentary about the city’s proposed general plan in which he used the word “pansy.” Someone created a Facebook group called Fresno Pansy Association. Someone else left flowers for the council member at his spot on the dais.

Brandau says he’s accustomed to the attention, pointing out he’s even been the subject of Fresno Bee editorial cartoon.

“I’ve got thick skin,” Brandau says.

People will disagree with him, and that’s OK, he says.

“That’s what this is all about.”

This story was originally published January 16, 2018 at 12:09 PM with the headline "Someone put an effigy in this council member’s parking spot. ‘Love it!’ he says."