Food Not Bombs Clashes With Fort Lauderdale Police
by Michael J. Mooney Friday, Feb. 25, 2011 at 2:24 PM
MichaelMahoney@browardnewtimes.com

The Fort Lauderdale collective of Food Not Bombs, the international group dedicated to ending hunger and war, says that members of the group have been harassed recently by the Fort Lauderdale Police. The group claims the police recently raided a house illegally and that officers are making a concerted effort to stop them from feeding homeless people in Stranahan Park.

food_not_bombs.jpg, image/jpeg, 500x337

A police representative said that the group is misrepresenting the details of several incidents, that most of the issues in Stranahan Park have been about local businesses complaining, and that the group is "certainly free to serve food however they want." The police are looking into the claims and more information will be available soon.

Meanwhile, the local activists -- many of which identify themselves as anarchists -- are still without electricity in the Fort Lauderdale house they share. They say that last week an FPL inspection led to the power being shut off, even though the bill was paid. Not long after the power went off, the activists say, a dozen or show police officers showed up in 8 or 9 squad cars and raided the house. They say the police brought a K-9 unit, that a male officer inappropriately frisked a female in the house, and that officers repeatedly inquired about the political leanings of the house residents.

The group will hold a "solidarity march" today Friday February 25th in Stranahan Park at 4 p.m. and will give a letter to city officials decrying what they see as police intimidation and a violation of their civil liberties.

add your comments