Video Of Volunteers Arrested For Feeding The Homeless
Volunteers get arrested for feeding homeless. Check out the YouTube clip from Johnny Bishop.
Dailykos.com has a story about how Tampa police first warned, then arrested seven people for distributing food without a permit.
Gaslight Park is when the volunteer group called Food Not Bombs set up to dish out a warm meal to the homeless that hang out in that area. The group goes around to city restaurants and collects food that would otherwise get thrown out and then shares it with the needy people at the park. They have been doing this twice a week for four years with no hassle until Saturday.
Police approached the volunteers and instructed them to stop because they were violating city ordinance 16.43 (distributing food without prior written consent). The volunteers kept serving, that's when they were arrested and handcuffed.
What are the laws and ordinances here in Grand Junction? I see groups down at Whitman Park Sunday mornings serving up food. I even have dropped off stuff plenty of times to people at the park. Have you ever done that? Are we breaking the law?