Federal Court: First Amendment Protects Sharing Food With Homeless People
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tulc(In a colorful decision that managed to invoke the Boston Tea Party, Lady Macbeth and Jesus of Nazareth, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appealsruled on Wednesday that feeding the homeless is “expressive conduct protected by the First Amendment.” The decision revives a challenge brought by a local chapter of Food Not Bombs, which sued Fort Lauderdale, Florida for requiring a permit to share food in public parks.
Thanks to the city's ordinance, Fort Lauderdale has become infamous for cracking down on compassion. In 2014, police arrested a 90-year-old man and two ministers who were simply trying to share food with the homeless.
“We are very pleased with this ruling, and we look forward to continuing our community organizing in Fort Lauderdale,” Nathan Pim, a member of Fort Lauderdale Food Not Bombs and a plaintiff in the case, said in a statement. “We hope we are one step closer to something we've fought for over many years—simply being able to help people without being threatened with arrest by people who should be working with us.”
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - NOVEMBER 12: A Fort Lauderdale Police Officer watches as Arnold Abbott, a 90-year-old chef, carries food to be dished out to the homeless in violation of a recently passed city law on November 12, 2014 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The city said they passed the ordinance which tightens restrictions on outdoor feedings in public spaces for sanitary and security reason, but Mr. Abbott continued to feed the homeless in a city park where he has twice been cited for violating the new ordinance. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
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