Food Not Bombs West Palm Beach Press Release
April 3, 2023
As the saying goes “a chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link”. We have 2 weak link’s in WPB. The first is Mayor Keith James, the second is the homeless population.
Unfortunately we can’t do anything about the first weak link because Mayor Keith James will serve another 4 years as mayor of WPB when he is sworn in on April 6, 2023 @ 5:00 PM.
As for the homeless there is hope because of the many people stepping up to help. One such organization is “Food not Bombs”, and below is a press release issued by them.
Food Not Bombs West Palm Beach Press Release
March 31, 2023 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New WPB Ordinance will not deter FNB from weekly Saturday meal share.
Contacts:
Daniel Tarrant (FNBWPB member) 561-427-4773; [email protected]
Jeff Weinberger (October 22nd Alliance to End Homelessness) 954-839-5376; [email protected]
What: Weekly Saturday meal distribution
Where: Nancy Graham Centennial Square, 150 N. Clematis St, downtown West Palm Beach
When: April 1, 2023 at 4:30pm rain or shine
“Like dozens of Food Not Bombs chapters before it, West Palm Beach FNB members will not obey a new food sharing restriction and will conduct their weekly meal sharing event this Saturday, April 1, at Nancy Graham Centennial Square in downtown West Palm Beach. This week’s event, planned prior to the new law’s passage, has been playfully dubbed April Foods Day. The group recently celebrated its 16th anniversary of conducting meal sharing events at the aforementioned and occasionally at another downtown park.
The new law, approved by the West Palm Beach City Commission on March 20, mandates that food sharing groups engaged in ‘public expression activity’ must obtain a permit when sharing food with groups of 25 or more. Groups other than those sharing food and engaging in ‘public expression activity’ are required to obtain a permit only if their number reaches 50. The vast majority of individuals served at FNB’s events are people experiencing homelessness, but the meals are available to all comers.
The law also limits the number of permits to two per year per location, so adherence would effectively terminate FNB’s weekly demonstrations of sharing food in the context of opposing war and militarism, the political principle on which the now international group was founded over 40 years ago in Cambridge, MA. Since its founding, chapters in various cities have repeatedly faced political and police repression, including arrests numbering in the thousands. At this writing, FNB in Houston, TX, is the latest chapter whose members have faced arrests in recent weeks.
While the ordinance doesn’t clearly define what the city means by ‘public expression activity,’ only two years ago Food Not Bombs in Fort Lauderdale won a precedent setting federal lawsuit against that city just an hour’s drive to the south, which hinged on a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit that defined Fort Lauderdale FNB’s activity as “expressive conduct” protected by the First Amendment.
“[Fort Lauderdale Food Not Bombs] “does not serve food as a charity, but rather to communicate its message that food is a human right, not a privilege, which society has a responsibility to provide for all, ” wrote Judge Adalberto Jordan in the federal appellate court opinion. “Providing food in a visible public space, and partaking in meals that are shared with others, is an act of political solidarity meant to convey the organization’s message.”
While the city acknowledged the historic ruling in its preamble to the amended ordinance (attached with press release), it must at least be considered questionable as to whether they understood its implications when it came to approving the new measure.
Whether the West Palm Beach FNB group will follow a similar course of litigating against what may be yet another unconstitutional ordinance approved by the city commission in just over two years remains to be seen. In late 2020 the commission, led by the same mayor, Keith James, under advice by still current City Attorney Kimberly Rothenburg, approved an ill-conceived ban on panhandling which was successfully challenged in federal court and repealed less than a year later. The city was forced to pay damages to three plaintiffs as well as attorneys fees.”
In closing it’s obvious to me Mayor Keith James is continuing to persecute the homeless and now persecuting the people who reach out to help the poorest of the poor.
Two stories on FNB lawsuit against the city of Fort Lauderdale
Williams v. City of West Palm Beach.
https://clearinghouse.net/case/18228/
Another take on feeding the homeless.
City Commissioners:
Please, please, please understand what you are doing when you pass these laws. I am aware you are giving only the information the mayor and city administrator want you to have. I am aware you are not allowed to contact city staff with questions, but must present your questions to the city administrator who in turn will contact the dept. head to insure you are giving the info. they want you to have. Think for yourself, and ask the right questions.
You have been elected to represent the residents of WPB which includes the homeless people who reside in our city, if you don’t want to help, please, please, please don’t hinder the people who step up to help the poorest of the poor..
You will all return to your air conditioned homes tonight, enjoy dinner with your family, and wash the dishes, maybe watch a little TV, and get a good night’s sleep in your bed. Don’t take it for granted!
I attended FNB event on April 1, 2023 and I saw no police involvement with FNB feeding the homeless. The picture is the nine FNB volunteers who were feeding the homeless, not knowing if they would be harassed or possibly arrested. Double click to see the 9 heroes.
The end