Last week the Orlando Sentinel reported that the city of Orlando and the anti-poverty organization Orlando Food Not Bombs had reached a truce. The city would allow OFNB (Orlando Food Not Bombs) to serve food at City Hall Commons Plaza and there would be no arrests.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer invited the group to feed at City Hall Commons Plaza and the group accepted according to the article.
City Hall Commons Plaza is considered a public park according to the City of Orlando Families, Parks, and Recreation portion of its website.
The new city ordinance restricts the number of times large groups of people can be fed in a city park. Moving the feedings to the Commons Plaza is still technically breaking the law if the number of people being fed violates the ordinance.
I spoke with attorney Shayan Elahi, who’s representing the group in court, about the so-called truce and he states that the organization and the city made no such agreement.
“The law is still the same. That’s basically saying that we’re allowing elected officials to break the law,” said Elahi. “He [Mayor Buddy Dyer] has to be within the realm of that authority. So for him to claim that he’s allowing them to feed here he’s saying that he’s above the law,” continued Elahi. “We can’t rely on his mercy.”
Shayan is currently representing OFNB and the 27 people who have been arrested for feeding the homeless downtown in Lake Eola Park. Litigation is still pending on all cases.
Previously Mayor Dyer has stated that OFNB is the only anti-poverty organization feeding in downtown Orlando who has issues abiding by the ordinance. Elahi doesn’t believe that’s a valid point.
“The people can make their choices but I don’t know if that’s a valid argument against this group. This law caters to only a few rich people who live in downtown. The majority of the people in that area have nothing against the homeless feeding in that park,” said Elahi.
Elahi believes that the only way for this matter to end is for the city to simply change the law.
The fight between the city of Orlando and OFNB continues to rage on. On August 6th Ben Markeson, the media liaison for Orlando Food Not Bombs, wrote an editorial for the Orlando Sentinel stating that there is no truce between the city and his group.
Orlando has received worldwide attention due to the recent arrests of individuals attempting to feed the homeless and this is more than likely Mayor Dyer and the city’s attempt to diffuse this matter.
OFNB also operates as its own separate entity. Food Not Bombs has many different groups under their umbrella with at least two in the city of Orlando, another going by the name of the Vegan Mafia.
