Attack on CT FNB 9 Years Ago Forces Change in State Law

“Despite our indirect role in its passage, our goal was never the statewide legislative reform which ultimately protected our activities and those of other grassroots anti-hunger activists from state intervention,” the statement reads. “Rather, our commitment has always been the to the elimination of structural inequality of which hunger is but a symptom, the abandonment of militarism and to the emergence of voluntary mutual aid as the essential characteristic of our social interactions.”

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.middletownpress.com/news/amp/Food-Not-Bombs-gets-15K-settlement-11869244.php

Charges Dropped Against Tampa Bay FNB

images-duckduckgo-comTAMPA — Prosecutors will not pursue criminal charges against seven people arrested for refusing to stop feeding the homeless in Lykes Gaslight Square Park.

Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren announced Tuesday that his office would not move forward with the cases stemming from the Jan. 7 arrests. Seven people were given notices to appear in court on trespassing charges after they were warned about violating a city ordinance that requires a permit and insurance policy to distribute food in the way Food Not Bombs has done for years. (full story)

Background on the 7 arrested here

Food Not Bombs Calls for Pretrial Support of Homeless Man

(Tampa) 88.5 WMNF

“… he goes by “Compass,” he was a friend who we at Tampa Food Not Bombs shared food with. And he was beaten by police. He was punched in the face, in the ribs, he was put in handcuffs and then taken down and slammed to the ground multiple times. Charged with resisting arrest with violence and then also the original charge was petty theft. They said that he stole a sandwich from a 7-11.”

full story here:

More Attempts to Shutdown FNB

logofnbnew(Newsreview.com) 

On Sunday afternoons for more than 20 years, volunteers with the nonprofit Food Not Bombs (Sacramento) have passed out free vegetarian meals to hungry, low-income Sacramentans at downtown’s Cesar Chavez Plaza park.

This month, however, city police interrupted the organization’s feedings and informed volunteers that giving away free meals is illegal.

(full story)

 

Intelligence Operations Threaten Democracy

fnb cops(FNB Blog) The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. — The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution.

The national conversation inspired by revelations about the NSA spy program by Ed Snowden is failing to discuss one of the most devastating aspects of the crisis. “Since when did feeding the homeless become a terrorist activity?” asked ACLU Associate Legal Director Ann Beeson on May, 18, 2005. “When the FBI and local law enforcement target groups like Food Not Bombs under the guise of fighting terrorism, many Americans who oppose government policies will be discouraged from speaking out and exercising their rights.” Along with discouraging participation in groups like Food Not Bombs but the work and lives of those who do participate are sabotaged using the information covertly collected by government and corporate intelligence operations.

(full story)