Food, but no fight, at Lake Eola Park Rich Mckay Orlando Sentinel Staff Writer
July 27, 2006 It had the ingredients for a skirmish: Police hauling defiant activists off to jail for feeding the homeless and blemishing Orlando's friendly name. Instead, calm prevailed Wednesday at Lake Eola Park. A new ordinance banning group feedings in downtown parks was skirted and the homeless still ate. A half-dozen police officers looked on as 40 or so homeless people munched on hot rice casserole under the park's canopy of oak bows. But the battle isn't over. The conflict stems from a rule the City Council passed Monday aimed at keeping charitable groups from turning Lake Eola Park into a soup kitchen. Some downtown residents and business owners had complained that hordes of homeless people flock to the parks for the free meals, and then aggressively panhandle, use the bushes as toilets and commit crimes. But groups such as Food Not Bombs and the American Civil Liberties Union said that the city has no authority to keep people -- homeless or not -- from having equal access to the park. If one person is allowed to sit and eat a sandwich in the park, then everyone can, they argue. About 10 members of Food Not Bombs and George Crossley, president of the local ACLU chapter, risked violating the ordinance, which carries a penalty of 60 days in jail, a $500 fine or both. But both sides came prepared to avoid that. Street becomes loophole The Food Not Bombs leaders found what they say is a loophole. The rules cap the feedings at 24 people, including the servers, in the park. But Wednesday, they didn't technically feed anyone in the park.
From a van parked on the street, Adam Ulrich and Alexandra Willard of
Food Not Bombs doled out large portions of casserole, green salad and diced bananas. "Wherever they go after we feed them, well, that's their own business," said John Hughes, another volunteer. Crossley brought printed copies of the ordinance to show officers that they weren't in violation. But that wasn't necessary -- this time, at least. Police officers also came armed with an already-signed, one-time-use permit for the group, which would have made Wednesday's feeding legal. "This is a new ordinance. People may not yet understand all the requirements, so we want to work with them," said Sgt. Barbara Jones, an OPD spokeswoman at the scene. But some of the homeless were deterred just by the sight of a half-dozen police officers. Uniforms scare him Bobby Akins, 55, who says he has been homeless for eight months, just walked away when he saw their uniforms. "Yes, I'm hungry, but I'd rather be that, than be arrested," he said. Others, including Karen Agnew, 53, who also said she is homeless, ate in peace in the park. She especially liked the potatoes. Crossley said: "I think we've won. We got to feed people and didn't break the law." Group leaders say they're still weighing legal options and will be back next week.
