ORLANDO FOOD NOT BOMBS IS SUCCESSFUL IN SHARING NEAR LAKE EOLA PARK FOR 3RD STRAIGHT WEEK
ORLANDO FOOD NOT BOMBS IS SUCCESSFUL IN SHARING NEAR LAKE EOLA PARK FOR 3RD STRAIGHT WEEK
On Aug. 9, for the third straight week, Orlando Food Not Bombs was able to share food successfully despite the City of Orlando's recently enacted "large group feedings" ordinance. This time instead of serving the food from a van on Central Blvd., a street adjacent to Lake Eola Park, we moved to a side street about a block away from the park's picnic area. We parked near the corner of Osceola and Pine streets in front of The Sanctuary Downtown, a condominium complex in which units range from $598,000 to $1,290,000, and served our food from the hood of a car. The people who had been waiting for us at Lake Eola followed us to the new location, with the police and media in tow. We took the police by surprise since they had been waiting at the park to "give" us the second permit allowed to us under the ordinance or perhaps to trespass us.
Although a few of the Sanctuary residents seemed none too happy about the presence of Orlando Food Not Bombs and homeless people eating and hanging out in front of their complex for about an hour, there appeared to be nothing that the police could do about the situation. At one point, a police officer was overheard trying to contact City Prosecutor Ken Hebert. That may have been to get a determination as to whether we were violating the "large group feedings" ordinance or maybe some other ordinances. Apparently Hebert decided we weren't breaking the law or otherwise didn't return the call. So except for occasionally shooing people out of the street or admonishing them not to block the sidewalk the police left us unmolested. The police also divided the sidewalk in front of the Sanctuary into half and would only allow us to stand on the half closest to the curb. City ordinances are being researched to see if this was a valid action by the police.
OFNB will return to the Lake Eola Park area again next week to share food with the hungry. We will post an account afterwards.
The food was still hot, nutritious and tasty even if the City forced us to serve it from the hood of a car rather than in a park.
A civilian employee from the Orlando Police Department's audiovisual section was once again spotted videotaping us.
OPD spokesperson Sgt. Barbara Jones was on hand to answer media queries. Orlando's political leadership apparently expects the police to attempt to justify what was a political decision to criminalize those who share food with the needy and homeless in the rapidly gentrifying Lake Eola/Thornton Park area. Behind Jones is WOFL-Channel 35 reporter Shannon Fox (in sunglasses). Channels 6 and 9 also covered our sharing.
No street or sidewalk blockage is visible above or below while people enjoy the meal provided by Orlando Food Not Bombs.
A few residents of the Sanctuary Downtown came out to watch the sharing. The cheapest condo in the complex sells for more than the City of Orlando allocates annually to the Central Florida Coalition for the Homeless ($500,000).
Orlando Food Not Bombs and ACLU lawyer, and National Lawyers Guild member, John Barry (right, in dark suit) debates issues of homelessness with a Sanctuary resident (in blue shirt, with arms crossed).
