END THE CRIMINALIZATION OF POVERTY TENT CITY VIGIL

The newest Food Not Bombs campaign - please support!

HUMAN NEEDS, NOT CORPORATE GREED!
THE CAMPAIGN TO END THE CRIMINALIZATION OF POVERTY
Food Not Bombs calls on Americans to join the peaceful anti-austerity protests that are sweeping the world.
Defend our First Amendment rights on the first of each month outside your City Hall.
Free meal, cultural events and over night vigil outside City Hall to end the criminalization of poverty!

Next Actions FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2011
(Call toll free 1-800-884-1136 for details on the times and location of your local action.)

So far 29 "Food Terrorists" have been arrested at Lake Eola Park in Orlando for sharing food with homeless people. But the problem is much deeper. Attacks againt those of us living in poverty is growing as are efforts to stop Food Not Bombs. Fort Lauderdale is trying to restrict all sharings to a single Salvation Army truck and has been violating the rights of Food Not Bombs homeless advocates for months with unlawful arrests, surveillance, and unwarranted raids. St Petersburg is copying Orlando's ban and also is trying to sweep all the homeless either out of town or into their "Safe Harbor" facility. Sarasota's large-group feeding ban will cap anyone off at over 12 guests. Police told a church group that they could no longer share meals on public property in Tampa. Gainesville is restricting the amount of food homeless shelters can distribute. All over Florida, it's the same anti-homeless agenda, and it is time Food Not Bombs, homeless advocates, and all defenders of civil liberty to stop it. Sharings, overnight camp-ins and other demonstrations will take place on September 16, 2011, in Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, St Pete, Melbourne, Tarpon Springs, and more to be announced. Please also consider creating events outside of Florida where ever compassionate people want to show solidarity. These events will repeat every 1st of the month until the tyrannical anti-homeless campaign is abandoned.

THE STATEMENT OF THE CAMPAIGN TO END THE CRIMINALIZATION OF POVERTY

We believe that as humans we are entitled to the basic right to housing, food, and healthcare. The criminalization of poverty through police harassment and city ordinances is counter productive towards the effort to help the displaced and poor that are struggling each day to get back on their feet.

To further promote equality within our society we will continue to share food in our communities building solidarity with the homeless and other organizations seeking a better future.

City governments are making laws against the homeless and poor at a time when the economy is failing. Many cities are restricting the ability of the public to provide free food to the hungry in gross violation of our international and constitutional rights. Please join us the first of each month to defend your right to end the criminalization of poverty.

(This campaign adopted at the Florida Food Not Bombs Gathering May 22, 2011)

PRINT OUT A COPY OF THE POSTERS
Call toll free for details of your local action. 1-800-884-1136

LOCAL CONTACTS FOR ACTIONS IN FLORIDA

Orlando - Keith: 575-577-3377
Tampa/Sarasota - Roger: 813-784-2861
Fort Lauderdale - Phil: 754-423-2026
Melbourne - Shelley: 321-501-4297
St Pete - Alex: 727-249-5062
Tarpon Springs: Thomas 813-481-5044

Please make banners saying Human Needs Not Corporate Greed and one saying END THE CRIMINALIZATION OF POVERTY. You can also make a banner calling for the end of the arrests in Orlando. Email us photos and news of your September 16th action so we can post it. Thanks swampzine@gmail.com or menu@foodnotbombs.net

29 Food Not Bombs were volunteers arrested sharing vegan meals in protest to war and poverty at Lake Eola Park in Orlando, Florida. WRITE A LETTER CAMPAIGN
URGENT PLEASE WRITE THE AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, THE UN, JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY OF ORLANDO, FLORIDA (PLEASE PASS ON THIS WEBSITE!)

PLEASE JOIN US THE THIRD FRIDAY OF EACH MONTH AT YOUR LOCAL CITY HALL
YOU CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE!

MORE TENT CITY PROTESTS THIS FALL
September 17, 2011 - Occupy Wall Street for DEMOCRACY NOT CORPORATOCRACY!
On October 17th, we want to see 20,000 people flood into lower Manhattan, set up tents, kitchens, peaceful barricades and occupy Wall Street for a few months. Once there, we shall incessantly repeat our one simple demand until Barack Obama capitulates. occupywallstreet

  October 6, 2011 - Washington DC: HUMAN NEEDS NOT CORPORATE GREED
Occupation of DC to stop the wars! We need cooks to help provide food at this occupation. We need people to  commit to several days at a time so we can help keep this going for as long as possible. october2011.org/

If Joblessness and Hopelessness Undermine Democracy in the Middle East, What About Here at Home?

FOOD NOT BOMBS TELLS ORLANDO SENTINEL WHY IT PLANS TO CONTINUE DEFYING NEW LAW. (Video)

The city didn't arrest us at home or work. They waited until the media left and arrested three volunteers during the June 1, 2011 meal.

In the world's wealthiest country where over 50 cents of every tax dollar goes to fund the military it is possible to make sure no one ever needs to seek food at a soup kitchen or be forced to live on the streets. This message should be expressed loud, often and with as much passion as possible.

Still Food Not Bombs groups are facing arrest all over the United States while cities are passing laws against the homeless and poor. Volunteers participating in the Florida Food Not Bombs Gathering in Orlando agreed to start this urgent campaign as one city after another passes laws against sharing food with the hungry. Our First Amendment Rights are under attack so we came to the consensus that we must resist. The tent city protest has been an effective way to bring change. From the Bonus March of the last Great Depression to uprisings in Egypt and Spain our voice to reclaim our rights is bringing about the change we need. We are in solidarity with all and have called for our actions to be on the first of each month in defense of the first amendment of the U.S. Constitutions just as they did with the Article 31 protests in Russia that were seeking to defend their rights as outlined in the thirty first article of the Russian Constitution. Please join us each month. Legal support and nonviolent workshops are offered to all interested in participating in this important campaign. Cuts in social services, laws criminalizing poverty, massive foreclosures, unemployment and the redistribution of our resources to the super wealthy and their corporations must be stopped. Governments are trying to silence the first amendment rights of Food Not Bombs to seek a future where no one needs to stand in line at a soup kitchen for food and ask for housing at a shelter. We are in solidarity with all and invite everyone to camp out on the first of each month outside our local city hall calling for an end to the criminalization of poverty.

WRITE A LETTER CAMPAIGN - Please request support from Amnesty International, Justice Department and the United Nations.

Orlando Large Group Feeding Permit Law
Please come to Orlando and participate in our Risk Arrest One Day a Month Program. This program ended the arrests in San Franciso along with our letter writing campaign. It is urgent that we stop these laws before they sweep America.

DETAILS OF THE CAMPAIGN
The Strategy 31 protests