A county judge on Monday found Wes Modes, a past organizer of the unsanctioned Do It Yourself Parade, guilty of participating in an unpermitted event, an infraction that marks a significant victory for city officials fed up with the anarchist activist.

In lieu of a $250 fine, Judge Jeff Almquist sentenced Modes, who works in the library system at UC Santa Cruz, to 30 hours of community service to be completed within 60 days. Volunteering at the SubRosa Cafe, an anarchist coffee shop and reading room that Modes co-founded, does not count as community service, the judge clarified later Monday.

The city has repeatedly asked Modes to seek an official permit for the New Year’s Eve parade, which has drawn thousands of participants since 2005. But he has refused, saying the parade is a largely spontaneous event designed to occur without government approval.

“There was really no question that he knew about the ordinance and he participated in the marching knowing there was a permit required for the parade,” said Santa Cruz City Attorney John Barisone. “Hopefully the ruling lets people know that you have to cooperate with the city if you are going to put 1,000 people in the street on one of the most highly charged nights of the year.”

But the case has far greater significance than it might appear on the surface. Modes for years has been a thorn in the side of city officials.

Police came under fire in 2006 for sending two undercover

officers to a planning meeting for the parade, which replaced the cancelled First Night event, which had become violent. The controversy led to a new police policy limiting undercover investigations.

In 2008, Modes interfered with officers responding to the unauthorized downtown drum circle. In May of this year, police said anarchists were responsible for a riot that left 18 businesses downtown with broken windows or other damage totaling $100,000. Modes has not been named as a suspect.

In the parade case, Modes sought to convince the judge he was being singled out because of his personal politics and previous history with the city. Modes put on two witnesses who said they attended the 2009 parade and, in protest of the citation against him, had asked city officials to ticket them, as well.

“It was just very unfortunate,” Modes’ attorney, Jonathan Gettleman, said of the ruling. “It was a real opportunity for the court to stand up for the First Amendment right of my client and people who participate in the parade.”

Barisone has said he issued a citation only to Modes because he believes, based on the past, that Modes is an organizer of the event. If founders had sought a permit, the city could charge them the cost of police overtime and require insurance and other measures.

Modes will be sentenced in November for the drum circle incident. The parade citation could threaten to upend a deal Modes struck with prosecutors last year to reduce a charge of battery on a police officer in exchange for more community service.