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Dear Food Not Bombs community,
Please support Fort Lauderdale Food Not Bombs. Don’t let the authorities drive them from Stranahan Park. This is our right to share food and literature in the most visible and logical locations in our communities. Ask your chapter to send an email.
Fort Lauderdale Food Not Bombs will hold a “solidarity march” today February 25, 2011 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.
Please forward.
Call and email the Mayor and other commissioners telling them you support the right of Food Not Bombs to share food and literature at Stranahan Park and that the police need to end their attacks on local activists, the homeless and poor in Fort Lauderdale. Remind them that the whole world is watching and that Food Not Bombs is organizing a global campaign of support. If you live near Fort Lauderdale please participate in the next meal at Stranahan Park every Friday at the gazeebo in front of the Main Library on Andrews and Broward in downtown Ft. Lauderdale. Please let them know where you are located so they can see that every corner of the world is watching. Thanks
CITY CONTACTS:
Mayor Seiler at 954-828-5003 or via e-mail at jack.seiler@fortlauderdale.gov
http://ci.ftlaud.fl.us/commission/bios/seiler.htm
Commissioner Roberts may be reached at 954-828-5004 or via e-mail at BRoberts@fortlauderdale.gov
Commissioner Rodstrom may be reached at 954-828-5923 (office), 954-292-9378 (cell) or by e-mail at crodstrom@fortlauderdale.gov
Commissioner DuBose may be reached at 954-828-5004 or via e-mail at BDuBose@fortlauderdale.gov
Commissioner Rogers may be contacted by calling 954-828-5004 or via e-mail at RRogers@fortlauderdale.gov
Fort Lauderdale Police Department Chief Franklin Adderley can be contacted by calling (954) 828-5700 or via e-mail at flpdwebmaster@fortlauderdale.gov
Florida: Police raid SWAMP Collective House
In the recent five months, tensions between the Fort Lauderdale Police Department and Food Not Bombs activists have escalated. Within this time, The FLPD has not only prevented multiple groups from sharing in Stranahan Park, but has installed a police surveillance tower in the park amidst repeated verbal assault against Food Not Bombs activists.
On Thursday, February 17th, an FPL electricity inspection led to the power being turned off at the home of activists frequently the target of police harassment. The electricity bill had been paid prior to this. Several hours later, all tenants had left the house while a few guests remained. During this time, an unwarranted police raid took place under the premise of ‘uninhabitable’ living conditions. The house was deemed ‘uninhabitable’ due to the lack of electricity, which had been turned off that morning. House guests were pulled from the house and searched by over a dozen officers, who kicked in unlocked doors and, with a K-9 unit, searched the house with no specific intent. One female guest was frisked and inappropriately touched by a male officer. More troubling still, officers were questioning the political orientation of the house guests. They asked if the house was a ‘militant training camp’, and whether or not the guests were “terrorists” or affiliated with “black bloc”. Before the FLPD left the house, they threatened to repeat raids weekly.
[Stop. Lawyer time.]
The Food Not Bombs activists in Fort Lauderdale are not involved in any of the activities suggested by the police. Rather, activities organized out of the house include free bike repair, FNB gatherings and sharing of food with the homeless, animal rights activities, candle making workshops, foreclosure & civil rights activism, etc. We, Fort Lauderdale Food Not Bombs, strongly condemn the intimidation tactics which include the police surveillance tower in Stranahan Park, unwarranted police raids, and the criminalization of community activism. Broward County officials have already targeted the poor and disenfranchised. Now the range has been expanded to include those who dare to help them. We call on South Florida activists to stand with us in solidarity as we struggle against the city’s efforts to repress the homeless and community-based activism.
In solidarity,
Fort Lauderdale Food Not Bombs
For more information, send an email to WDirect08@aol.com or SWAMPZine@gmail.com.
UPDATE: Fort Lauderdale Police returned to the activists home on Saturday, February 19th at around 9:00PM. The two officers did not attempt a repeat of Thursday’s raid, but rather briefly insulted and intimidated one of the tenants and their guests. The police entered the house, with permission from the tenant but then left shortly afterward.
Florida: Police raid SWAMP Collective House
http://drstevebest.wordpress.com/2011/02/20/response-to-police-raid-of-activists-swamp-collective-in-florida/
Posted on February 20, 2011 by denverabc
http://denverabc.wordpress.com/2011/02/20/florida-police-raid-swamp-collective-house/
Fort Lauderdale Police Clashes With Food Not Bombs
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/juice/2011/02/food_not_bombs_fort_lauderdale_police.php
San Francisco Food Not Bombs 