Hunger Strike Ends As Cops Halt Arrests of SF Food Not Bombs
Tom Boland (wgcp@earthlink.net)
Fri, 19 Nov 1999 18:55:38 -0800 (PST)
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please circulate
FWD [ resent via San Francisco Food Not Bombs <sffnb@iww.org> ]
Religious Witness With Homeless People <RelWitHome@aol.com>
For immediate release
November 19, 1999
Contact: Sister Bernie Galvin.....415-929-0781 office
HUNGER STRIKE ENDS AS SF POLICE HALT ARRESTS!
319 members and supporters of Religious Witness with Homeless People
participated in a Hunger Strike for Justice and Compassion in United Nations
Plaza over the past 12 days (November 8-19).
Calling for greater compassion for poor and homeless people, Religious
Witness launched the Hunger Strike when SF Police suddenly moved in and began
confiscating the several 5-gallon buckets of hot soup and dozens of loaves of
bread and began arresting those who served that soup to the hungry, homeless
people lined up for that meal in the United Nations Plaza. Right before the
very eyes of the poor people lined up for the food, it was hauled off by the
police to be dumped. (See Hunger Strike sign.)
The group vowed to continue the Hunger Strike "...until Mayor Brown revokes
his order to his Police Force to deny homeless people access to the soup and
bread prepared by them by arresting those who served that food," stated
Sister Bernie Galvin, director of Religious Witness with Homeless People. The
City has halted the arrests of members and volunteers of Food Not Bombs who
serve food in United Nations Plaza, pending the outcome of negotiations
(which begin today) between Food Not Bombs and The City to allow the serving
of food in UN Plaza to continue.
"Religious Witness was instrumental in bringing about these negotiations; we
sincerely hope and pray that the two parties are successful in their effort
so that the needs of hungry, poor people can be met," said Sarah Gooze, staff
person of Religious Witness.
Father Louis Vitale, who, along with Sister Bernie and Herman Gallegos,
fasted the entire 12 days on juice/water only,* commented:"Franciscans have
had a long heritage --over 100 years of feeding people in this neighborhood.
We were appalled that food was taken from the poor and people arrested for
serving the poor. We have fasted and risked arrest, and now we are very
pleased that a new compassion allows the feeding to continue."
"The very purpose of Religious Witness with Homeless People is to witness to
the need for compassion and justice for poor and homeless people, by publicly
decrying any mean-spiritedness reflected in The City's policies, or proposed
policies, toward these most vulnerable members of our communities:
confiscation of shopping carts, making possession of shopping carts a felony,
banning begging for alms, forbiding homeless people from standing still on
the sidewalks for more than five minutes at a time, and, most recently,
taking food away from hungry, poor and homeless people right before their
very eyes!" said Sister Bernie.
--------------------------------------
*The other 316 participants in the Hunger Strike contributed significantly to
the Hunger Strike by fasting on modified diets either part-time or full-time,
as health and circumstances allowed.
HUNGER STRIKE FOR
JUSTICE AND COMPASSION
IN UNITED NATIONS PLAZA
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The epitome of cruelty:
SF police officers moving in daily and taking the
several 5-gallon buckets of hot vegetarian soup
and dozens of loaves of bread
away from the hungry, homeless people
lined up for that evening meal!
How utterly heartless of Mayor Brown
to order his Police Force to confiscate that food
compassionately prepared for poor people
right in front of their very eyes
and to haul it off and dump it!
This hunger strike will continue
until Mayor Brown revokes his order
to his Police Force to deny
homeless people access to the soup
and bread prepared for them
by arresting those who serve that food.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Sponsored by
Religious Witness with Homeless People
Copy of the 5-foot tall sign used by Religious Witness in the Hunger Strike
in their daily hour-long
Vigils on the steps of City Hall each day of the Hunger Strike.
*****************************************************************************
<sffnb@iww.org> Signature File Of Thursday 17 September 1998
Communications from this e-mail address <sffnb@iww.org> DO NOT necessarily
reflect views of the San Francisco Food Not Bombs organization, unless it
is otherwise indicated. The information content and opinions expressed in
this communication are from individual members, allies and affiliates of
San Francisco Food Not Bombs.
San Francisco Food Not Bombs
P.O. Box 40485
San Francisco, California 94140
USA
Phone: + 1-415-675-9928
E-Mail: < sffnb@iww.org >
Web Page: < http://www.foodnotbombs.org >
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