The arrest Wednesday evening of three Orlando Food Not Bombs members on Wednesday evening for feeding 40 homeless people in Lake Eola Park finally gave the local Anti-poverty group what they were trying for. Jessica Cross, 23, Benjamin Markeson, 49, and Jonathan “Keith” McHenry, 56, were arrested at 6:10 pm Wednesday evening for violating the city ordinance that bans feeding more than 25 people at a time in the city’s downtown parks. The City of Orlando provided the group with permits for the last two events, which the members crumpled up, and left on the ground. The group has been pushing for the arrests, to put the ordinance in the spotlight.
The group, Orlando Food Not Bombs, lost a court battle in April to have the ordinance declared unconstitutional when a federal appeals court backed the law. They have served vegan meals to a group of about 40 people each of the last three Wednesdays. Police did not make arrests while it was in the courts. Orlando Food Not Bombs has fed people breakfast on Monday mornings, and Wednesday evenings for the last 5 years. They have expected and pushed to have members arrested at each of the last three events. A police spokeswoman, Lt. Barbara Jones, stated that the continued intentional violation of the ordinance pushed the police into making arrests. The police waited until they were done serving the people before going in and arresting the three for serving food to the homeless in violation of the ordinance.
Douglas Coleman, speaking for Food Not Bombs, was quoted “They basically carted them off to jail for feeding hungry people.” Coleman said “For them to set a time and place for free speech and to share food is unacceptable.” The penalty for defying the ban is 60 days in jail, or a $500 fine, or both. Bail was set at $250 for each of those arrested.
On the Food Not Bombs website, they called for people to come out to the groups dinner feedings in defiance of the ban.
http://www.examiner.com/poverty-in-orlando/anti-poverty-group-puts-the-city-of-orlando-on-notice
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