This is a victory, and we must call them when we see them no matter how big or small - especially when it's a victory for and by
the people. Good news for
good Samaritans and the homeless in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
FSRN/Free Speech Radio News and
U.S. Uncut reported that a Ft. Lauderdale judge has placed a 30-day temporary stop on the arrests and citations of people in the city who continue to feed the homeless - against the
current Ft. Lauderdale laws. The
ruling came after a barrage of national and international outrage.
A World War II veteran, Arnold Abbot, who had been arrested multiple times, brought national attention after being arrested again last month. Abbott, 91, refused to stop reaching out to the disadvantaged.
Here is a clip of Abbott serving food to the homeless, then being pulled away from the table, by the police. This time he was given a citation, after being told to shut down the food share.
Activists jumped in began protesting. Seven of the protestors went on a hunger strike. One of the activists, Dezeray Lyn, with Tampa Food Not Bombs spoke to FSRN just before breaking her nine-day hunger strike.
The hunger strike was in response to the City of Ft. Lauderdale passing a series of ordinances. They’ve been termed ‘homeless hate laws’ that were making houseless activities impossible, making life more difficult.
During her interview, Lyn spoke of another activist, Jillian Pim, who stayed on her hunger strike for 24 days, but had to stop due to health problems. That is when Lynn and six other activists took over the hunger strike and did not eat for nine days.
What we all went through, we all know that is nothing compared with what the struggling community in Ft. Lauderdale and cities all over the country are going through. We’re happy that we can break the hunger strike, we’re happy that people won’t be criminalized for sharing food but by no means is this over and by no means does it lessen at all the suffering of the people in Ft. Lauderdale. So I’m happy that the judge did the right thing, but I hope that the City of Ft. Lauderdale actually takes steps now to address – in some meaningful way – the suffering of the people that need them the most in their community.
Currently,
33 cities have bans on feeding the homeless. Hopefully, there will be more protests and these inhumane laws will be reversed.
Cheers to Abbott, Lynn, Pim, and all the compassionate protestors for using their voices (and physical well-being) to speak out for many of the homeless who remain voiceless and defenseless.
You can find Tampa Food Not Bombs and U.S. Cut on Facebook, and visit the Free Speech Radio News website here.