[HPN] ALERT: Food Not Bombs Pittsburgh fears arrests - 21 Feb article FWD FWD

[Tom Boland]

  vegetarian, nonviolence, consensus
-Food Not Bombs List     fnb-l@lists.tao.ca
-distributing food in opposition to violence
-archive: http://archive.foodnotbombs.ca
-active cities: http://webcom.com/peace
-send 'subscribe fnb-l'  to lists@tao.ca

FWD about PITTSBURGH FOOD NOT BOMBS

GROUP FEARS ARRESTS

By David Conti
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
21 Feb 2000

It was far from business as usual Sunday for the members of Food Not Bombs
gathered in Market Square.

More than 30 supporters and a collection of TV camera crews joined the dozen
local activists who normally distribute food to homeless people Downtown,
after reports last week that police might arrest group members as they served
meals.

No arrests were made and about 12 people were fed by 2 p.m., but one of the
group's organizers said the hoopla kept some homeless people away.

"I blame them for making 15 other people go hungry today," Joe Reichenbacher
said, angrily pointing to a Pittsburgh police van parked at the other end of
Market Square. "I'm sure they scared people away from getting food today."

For the past five years, members of Food Not Bombs have collected leftover
food from area establishments and prepared vegetarian meals to serve Sundays
in Market Square. Reichenbacher, 19, said about 30 homeless people usually
show up for the food.

On Wednesday, Reichenbacher said police told him last Sunday the group could
not distribute food anymore without a permit. He said police threatened to
arrest anyone who showed up yesterday.

The chance of a showdown with police brought out a collection of teen-agers
and adults, some dressed in punk rock clothing and sporting dyed hair; and
even more with cameras to capture shots of the excitement.

Reichenbacher, a student at the University of Pittsburgh, said he was glad
for the show of support, but he worried the spectacle scared away some hungry
people.

"I am very upset," he said. "We had to do this, but the police didn't have to
threaten us."

Other group members said they're worried about what will happen next week,
when the glare of TV cameras is gone.

"I'm a little nervous about being arrested," said Marc Wardle, 20, of
Oakland. "But the ACLU said they'd help us if we do."

Wardle said he called the American Civil Liberties Union earlier in the week.
He said he was told they wouldn't get arrested this week and that the ACLU
would pursue the issue with the mayor's office and City Council.

Breen Casey of Oakland thinks the police will be back again next week because
she believes the mayor's office wants the area cleaned up for redevelopment.

"When the media's gone they'll come back and get us," Casey, 21, said. "This
has a lot to do with the whole Fifth & Forbes thing. They want to turn this
into a suburban strip mall, so they need to get the homeless out of here."

Market Square is part of the area tabbed for redevelopment in Mayor Tom
Murphy's proposed Market Place at Fifth & Forbes.

Murphy spokesman Craig Kwiecinski called Casey's charge "completely
unfounded" and said the mayor's office would rather see Food Not Bombs
working with the agencies set up to assist homeless people.

There are no plans right now to arrest members of the group and the police
van seen yesterday is used to transport officers who walk the beat, according
to the acting commander of Pittsburgh police Zone 2.

"We're going to let them do what they're supposed to do," Sgt. Darlene
Gardner said yesterday. "We don't want to interfere."

Food Not Bombs members said they will be back next week.

"This will not go away," Wardle said. "We'll continue to do this."

END FORWARD

**In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material
is distributed without charge or profit to those who have
expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information
for non-profit research and educational purposes only.**


***********************************************************
7,500+ articles by or via homeless & ex-homeless people
INFO & to join/leave list - Tom Boland <wgcp@earthlink.net>
Nothing About Us Without Us - Democratize Public Policy
***********************************************************