Florida: Volunteers arrested for feeding the hungry

June 6, 2011
 CONTACT:
Food Not Bombs global coordination office
575-770-3377

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Orlando Food Not Bombs 407-252-1379
menu@foodnotbombs.net
http://www.foodnotbombs.net/


Seven volunteers arrested so far for sharing food with the hungry in in protest of war and poverty in Orlando, Florida.

Steve Willis, Dylan Howeller, Noelle Bivens, and Brock Monroe arrested providing breakfast June 6, 2011.

Food Not Bombs calls on Americans to join the peaceful anti-austerity protests that are sweeping the world.

"It's inhumane to tell people they should not give food to the hungry"

Food Not Bombs volunteer Jessica Cross on her release from jail.

NEXT MEAL WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8TH AT 5:30 PM AT LAKE EOLA PARK.

Seven Food Not Bombs volunteers have been arrested for sharing free vegan meals with the hungry at Lake Eola Park in Orlando Florida this June. Volunteers provide food to the hungry seeking to change society by building popular support to reduce military spending and redirect public resources towards the real security of food, housing, education and healthcare. Orlando officials are arresting people feeding the hungry while governments are cutting social services and millions of Americans are one paycheck away from homelessness and unemployment is increasing.

Food Not Bombs is calling on Americans to join in the peaceful anti-austerity protests that are sweeping the world. In the world's wealthiest country where over 50 cents of every tax dollar goes to fund the military it is possible to make sure no one ever needs to seek food at a soup kitchen or be forced to live on the streets.

Food Not Bombs is a global movement sharing food and literature in over 1,000 cities. Each group is autonomous and makes decisions using consensus. The food is always vegan or vegetarian and free to everyone. Volunteers are dedicated to taking nonviolent direct action change society so everyone has their own kitchen and enough healthy food to provide for their family and no one is forced to stand in a line to eat. The city of Orlando should support Food Not Bombs in our effort to end poverty instead of spending the taxpayers money attempting to hide the poor.

FOOD IS A RIGHT, NOT A PRIVILEGE.

Add your name to the Orlando Wall of Compassion (Come to Orlando and risk arrest sharing food with the hungry.)

http://www.foodnotbombs.net/orlando_wall_of_compassion.html

Pancakes, doughnuts and more arrests at Lake Eola

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/crime/os-food-not-bombs-arrest-20110606,0,4330075.story

Volunteers Arrested, Accused Of Violating Feeding Ordinance

http://www.wftv.com/news/28144821/detail.html


Print out the flyer

http://www.foodnotbombs.net/arresting_food_not_bombs_flyer.pdf




Trial dates:

Benjamin Markeson and Jessica Cross

Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 1 pm Room 250 Orange County Courthouse, 425 North Orange Avenue, Orlando, Florida 32801



Jonathan "Keith" McHenry

Tuesday, July 5, 2011 at 1 pm Room 250 Orange County Courthouse, 425 North Orange Avenue, Orlando, Florida 32801



We need your support.

1. Write letters to Amnesty International, the United Nations and Obama's Justice Department asking for and investigation and letters to Orlando city officials asking for an end to their arrests at Lake Eola Park. You can ask your organization, union, club or group to also send letters.

http://www.foodnotbombs.net/amnesty_letter.html



2. Organize or participate in the first of the month vigils at your city hall this July 1, 2011. Ask your organization, union, club or group to promote and participate in this monthly action. If you live outside the United States please organize your vigil outside the U.S. Embassy, U.S. Consulate or local U.S. Military Base or

http://www.foodnotbombs.net/resist.html



3. Ask your organization, union, club or group to send a delegation to Orlando Florida to risk arrest sharing free food to the hungry at Lake Eola Park. They can get arrested in front of your groups banner. Bail is $100 and we will provide rides from jail and legal support. We are organizing camping and housing for people from out of town. Campgrounds have great fresh water lakes and are very beautiful. We will post your mug shot and name on the date of your arrest on the Food Not Bombs webpage of honor.

http://www.foodnotbombs.net/fnb_resists.html



4. Sign and forward our online petition.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/is-it-a-crime-to-feed-the-hungry/



5. Email and post news of this campaign to your Facebook, email lists and contact your local media.





THE LARGE GROUP FEEDING LAW AND FEDERAL COURT RULING

http://www.foodnotbombs.net/fnb_orlando_law.html



THE CAMPAIGN TO END THE CRIMINALIZATION OF POVERTY



HUMAN NEEDS NOT CORPORATE GREEO MONTHLY VIGIL

Human Needs Not Corporate Greed - Campaign to end the criminalization of poverty vigil at your city hall or U.S. Embassy on the first of each month.

http://www.foodnotbombs.net/resist.html



WRITE A LETTER CAMPAIGN

Three Food Not Bombs volunteers were arrested on June 1st at their regular Wednesday meal in Orlando Florida. Write a letter campaign asking for an investigation into the arrests of Food Not Bombs. We also ask that you sign out petition and email the mayor, city council and the Orlando Tourist Information Bureau (Please see sample letters on these pages.) Thanks

http://www.foodnotbombs.net/amnesty_letter.html



SOME MEDIA ON THE ISSUE



Food Not Bombs group arrested for feeding homeless, violating Orlando ordinance (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/food-not-bombs-group-arrested-for-feeding-homeless-violating-orlando-ordinance/2011/06/03/AGufUBIH_blog.html



Group to keep feeding homeless in spite of members' arrests

3 arrested must stay away from Lake Eola Park



http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2011-06-02/news/os-mchenry-homeless-feeding-hearing-20110602_1_ben-markeson-homeless-people-anti-hunger-movement





Anti-Poverty Group Member Arrested

http://www.examiner.com/poverty-in-orlando/anti-poverty-group-member-arrested



3 Fla. activists arrested for feeding homeless

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/06/02/2247990/3-fla-activists-arrested-for-feeding.html





3 Food Not Bombs members arrested for ordinance violation

http://www.cfnews13.com/article/news/2011/june/255345/3-Food-Not-Bombs-members-arrested-for-ordinance-violation



Three arrested for feeding Fla. homeless

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2011/06/02/Three-arrested-for-feeding-Fla-homeless/UPI-60441307031516/



3 Homeless Feeding Group Members Arrested

http://www.wftv.com/news/28105391/detail.html





3 Food Not Bombs members arrested for ordinance violation

http://www.cfnews13.com/article/news/2011/june/255345/3-Food-Not-Bombs-members-arrested-for-ordinance-violation





Please don't feed the homeless: Good Samaritans ARRESTED and facing jail... for handing out food Read more:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1394924/Orlando-Food-Not-Bombs-activists-ARRESTED-feeding-homeless-city-parks.html#ixzz1OWnK8XOw







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Sign the on-line petition -Thanks

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/is-it-a-crime-to-feed-the-hungry/



Add your name to the Orlando Wall of Compassion

http://www.foodnotbombs.net/orlando_wall_of_compassion.html



Start a Food Not Bombs group in your community!(Orlando is the only city making arrests so far.)

http://www.foodnotbombs.net/seven.html



Please consider making a donation. Bail is $100 per arrest.

Food Not Bombs Dollar for Peace

http://www.foodnotbombs.net/dollar_for_peace.html



Please forward, thanks so much.









--

April Mondragon

Live Peace