Group vows defiance if Orlando restricts meals
Rich Mckay
Sentinel Staff Writer
July 19, 2006
Homeless advocates and Orlando City Hall are headed toward a showdown over using downtown parks as soup kitchens.
The advocates have been providing free food at Lake Eola Park on Wednesday evenings for months.
But the majority on the City Council say that crime and trash are getting out of hand and residents are complaining that the parks are being overrun by homeless.
On Monday, commissioners are scheduled to vote on a proposed ordinance to ban group feedings.
Homeless advocates say that their meals are no different than picnics and they will defy the city's order. They say that they will keep feeding the homeless at the city park, even if it means getting ticketed, charged with trespassing or arrested.
Ben Markeson, a member of the homeless advocate group Food Not Bombs, said the city's plans are "totally unacceptable."
The ordinance would define a group as 25 people or more and would be in effect in a two-mile circle around City Hall, which would include Lake Eola Park.
City Commissioner Patty Sheehan said she feels she has been cast as a villain for proposing the ordinance, but she said, "I don't think the solution [to homelessness] is to take a bunch of expired food to all of the parks."
The city would prefer to direct charity workers to serve meals to the homeless at facilities that already exist.
Sheehan said the city has worked with charity groups such as The Ripple Effect and got them to move their meals from Lake Eola.
But every time one group moves, another one pops up.
The measure passed the City Council on its first reading last month. Monday's scheduled second vote is needed for final passage.
George Crossley, the head of the local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said that his group was having a "war council" and is still on target to sue if the city passes the ordinance.
Markeson said that his group plans a protest in front of City Hall before the 2 p.m. meeting.
Rich McKay can be reached at rmckay@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5470.
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