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Activist Arrested For Feeding Homeless At Lake Eola

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posted on Mar, 23 2009 @ 12:37 PM
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Activist Arrested For Feeding Homeless At Lake Eola


www.wftv.com

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A man was thrown in jail for trying to help the homeless and, he said, he's willing to do it again. Eric Montanez bonded out of jail, Thursday.

Montanez was charged with violating Orlando's new city ordinance that bans feeding homeless people gathered in a large group. The arrested activist told Eyewitness News he'll keep fighting.

Police said Montanez, 21, with the group Food Not Bombs, broke the law by feeding more than 25 people, as Orlando's ordinance allows, inside Lake Eola's park on Wednesday. But Montanez is insistent he did nothing wrong.

"It is not against the law to feed people as much as they want to criminalize the help of the homelessness," he told Eyewitness News.

Undercover officers worked surveillance and counted how many people Montanez fed, 30. Police even took some stew served, as evidence.

Montanez said the city reversed its position after saying it wouldn't try to enforce the ordinance until the ACLU lawsuit worked its way through the courts.

An affidavit said Montanez was only arrested because he attempted to conceal his identity and threw his ID.

"I had it in my hand. They cuffed me and they dragged me off. I can't hold onto things with handcuffs on my hands," he said.

"There are a lot better things for law enforcement to be doing in this town. This was an outrage," said George Crossley, Central Florida ACLU.

The mayor's office did not respond to calls from Eyewitness News on Thursday. Orlando police said they are simply enforcing the laws. But the ACLU claims it's just another example of the harassment it endures, as its group and several others try to help those in need.

The ACLU believes the ordinance itself is unconstitutional. Homeless supporters had gotten around the law by having several groups present, with each not feeding more than 25 people.

Montanez said he won't be scared off.

"You'll see me out there," he said.

Montanez faces a misdemeanor charge for feeding a large group in a city-owned park. According to police, no organization had obtained the required permit for Wednesday's group feeding.
(visit the link for the full news article)



[edit on 23-3-2009 by djzombie]



posted on Mar, 23 2009 @ 12:37 PM
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This is rediculous. Whats next? You'll have to get a permit to take a #. Punishable by death if you don't have your feces permit.

It's really sad that you can legislate inhumanity. Though I'd expect nothing less from our government, especially from florida.

I used to wish for california to detach itself from the continent and float away, but recent developments have shown me that I should've been wishing that upon florida. Well, that and D.C.

www.wftv.com
(visit the link for the full news article)


+3 more 
posted on Mar, 23 2009 @ 12:45 PM
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Again another example
of the desensitization of the common man toward the common man.
We can't feed each other if we are hungry?!

It's a way to stop us from caring for each other.
It's a way to stop us from controlling our own survival.

No one has the right to stop us from caring for each other.
We were not born - someones property.
This nonsense has got to cease if we are to survive.


+1 more 
posted on Mar, 23 2009 @ 12:48 PM
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What a bunch of ****...

Whoever made this backwards law should be stripped of all assets and made to live in an alleyway for a month.

THEN we'd see if they would change this law.

Fair play to the activist, at least someone has a heart.

It angers me so much that some people are so empty inside.



posted on Mar, 23 2009 @ 12:49 PM
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Wow, talk about turning being compassionate and caring into being criminal activities. This just shows part of what is wrong with this country (USA). What a shame.

Thanks for showing us this.

Peace



posted on Mar, 23 2009 @ 12:50 PM
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Who makes up those kind of laws. I mean they had surveillance on him, took stew as evidence, crazy crazy world.

Boy I am glad that I am not American (sry guys) but I hope that more of you will wake up to the tyranniac police states that seems to be barreling down on you. Here in Canada, our government will surely follow in your foot steps, sigh, like they always do.

There are no more nations anymore. We are all brothers & Sisters against the growing global movement. Nothing wrong with the globe, it just cannot be governed as one thing. I mean even here in North America, from city to city, we have such huge differences that you might as well travelled to another country.


Peace and long life to us all



posted on Mar, 23 2009 @ 12:51 PM
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That is absolutely disgusting to have a law like that and it really pisses me off that they had undercovers on that case.
Why the need for undercover cops to bust a huuuuge feeding ring.
It makes me sick to my stomache that people would pass this law and makes me even sicker that someone was willing to enforce it.
What a ****ing joke.



posted on Mar, 23 2009 @ 01:03 PM
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I wonder how much money the police surveillance unit cost the city. Not to mention the court costs, and the PR.

I also wonder how many of those homeless people could have been fed with that kind of money.



posted on Mar, 23 2009 @ 01:04 PM
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OMG who sponsored this bill/law, MONSANTO??



This makes me see red! I think this is horrible, and hope he gets a lot of media attention over this. How wrong and shameful. I am sending the Mayor of Orlando an email about this, so shameful in the city of Disney, no less.

Disgusting!!


If anyone else wants to email the clown who runs this city, here is his email address:

[email protected]

Interesting opinion, supporting Mayor Dyer:

blogs.orlandosentinel.com...

This happened two years ago, here is a page with a picture of Eric and an article about it, it shows him being arrested:

orlandofoodnotbombs.org...

This is going to become more of an issue with our tanking economy, and needs to be addressed properly. Obama needs to be focusing on these issues, pronto, or we are going to have chaos in our streets!



posted on Mar, 23 2009 @ 01:12 PM
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Bravo Bravo!!! Consider that if the Civil Service plan goes thru many more of our young people (this guy only 21) may be exposed to things that really matter, and get a chance to help. If they are out helping their fellow man, the number of American Idol viewers might even decrease! Gawd no anything but that!



posted on Mar, 23 2009 @ 01:18 PM
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Wow, Jesus is said to have fed 5000 people once. I guess he would get life in prison in Florida for this supposed act. What the hell kind of law is this those folks down there have created? In Lexington, KY there are groups of homeless much higher in number than this who meet in a city park in the evening and people come by and feed them.



posted on Mar, 23 2009 @ 01:20 PM
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Brilliant way to show public how frakking stupid the law is. This kind of civil disobidience deserves a medal.



posted on Mar, 23 2009 @ 01:31 PM
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This is so stupid under cover cops to take down a man feeding homeless people.
WTF...is this world coming too this piece of news just got me real upset.



posted on Mar, 23 2009 @ 01:49 PM
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I would say this is unbelievable, but with each passing day, it's amazing what you can believe when it comes to the PTB.

I didnt get to read the full article. Did they happen to mention what the proper way to feed people would be?



posted on Mar, 23 2009 @ 02:03 PM
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I didnt get to read the full article. Did they happen to mention what the proper way to feed people would be?


The proper way apparently is to pay the city money for your altruism permit.

You can feed the homeless, but only if the government gets their cut.

[edit on 23-3-2009 by djzombie]



posted on Mar, 23 2009 @ 02:12 PM
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The article is dated April 5, 2007. Do you know what the outcome of the ACLU's case was and if the charges were dismissed?



posted on Mar, 23 2009 @ 02:17 PM
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Sorry, hadn't realized it was from 2007, missed that date.

I found some sites about the ACLU lawsuit, but nothing stating what happened with it.

stop-orlando.org...
stop-orlando.org...
stop-orlando.org...



posted on Mar, 23 2009 @ 02:24 PM
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I think that the local politicians are working on the theory that homeless are just like pigeons

If you feed them, it will attract more.

Perhaps he should feed them in a neighboring county.



posted on Mar, 23 2009 @ 02:24 PM
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Hold on a second.

While I am all for helping those in need, there are better ways to go about it than this.

These people were gathered at a public park. Public. Meaning everyone has a right to gather and use this land. Homeless, families, fishermen, what have you.

Should it be known that if you are homeless and hungry, come here and you will be fed, the place would be overrun. So much for use by all. I certainly wouldnt want to have a family day picnic with 3000 homeless. Just not my idea of a relaxing afternoon.

While arresting this guy is a bit much, there are better ways to help those less fortunate.

On a different note, if this guy really wants to help out, instead of breaking the law, he could simply invite everyone to his house and feed them there. No laws on the books about that. He gets his wish to help people, and the park is again free for everyones enjoyment.



posted on Mar, 23 2009 @ 02:27 PM
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reply to post by salchanra
 



Should it be known that if you are homeless and hungry, come here and you will be fed, the place would be overrun. So much for use by all.


Homeless people are not seagulls; and most of all a lot of them are sharp as tacks when it comes to survival skills.

You'd be surprised how well they are able to find plenty of food to live on.

Soup kitchens and Salvation army depots I could see being overcrowded with the homeless.

Public parks? Give me a break... Do you think the homeless all congregate at night-time at secret underground meetings and spread around tales of good places to scrounge for food?


On a different note, if this guy really wants to help out, instead of breaking the law, he could simply invite everyone to his house and feed them there.


Yeah he could just leave invitations in every homeless person's mailbox.

Or maybe he could email them?

Sure.

[edit on 23/3/09 by The Godfather of Conspira]




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