Food Not Bombs victory in Chattanooga

By Olivia Lim  

Chattanooga, Tennessee, July 14 (AGR)— On July 14, under the muggy summer heat, 75 people gathered at Miller Park in downtown Chattanooga for the Food Not Bombs (FNB) Victory Serving, Picnic and Celebration Rally. This event came after a week of negotiations and discussions between FNB and city officials about the serving of food to the hungry in Miller Park.

Last Sunday, July 7, four police officers came to Miller Park to inform FNB that they could not serve food in the park without a permit. After a half-hour discussion with the police, that included threats of arrests, FNB organizers moved their serving for that day to a vacant parking lot across from the park.

On Monday Food Not Bombs members Andy Fazio, Amy Nelson and Taylor Jones went to the Parks and Recreations Department to obtain a permit. According to Fazio they were denied the permit because the project manager of the Parks and Recreations Department told him that nobody wanted “bums” in the park. It looked bad. Fazio, who has been steadily serving hungry families and the homeless for three years, replied, “You just want the downtown swept of poor people to make the area a yuppie tourist haven.”

After the unsuccessful attempt to get the needed permit, FNB contacted the local media for news coverage of the story. They also contacted the community for support in their time of crisis.

Captain Mark Rawlston of the Chattanooga Police Department was quoted in the Chattanooga Times Free Press as saying “We’re not trying to target the homeless, but there are businesses that have made an investment in that area, and we’re not going to let a small group of people ruin it.”

Food Not Bombs members said that the police told them that they were worried about the serving of food to the homeless because it is contributing to the homeless becoming more aggressive. Fazio’s response was: “They’re becoming violent doesn’t make any sense to me. How somebody can relate violence to us serving food is crazy.”

After much pressure from the community in support of Food Not Bombs, city officials requested a meeting with Food Not Bombs organizers. On Thurs., July 11, Todd Womack, assistant chief to Mayor Bob Corker, two Chattanooga police officers, and Parks and Recreation Department director, Jerry Mitchell, meet with FNB members. The city issued the permit to the group.

“The city said it would work with Food Not Bombs on the homeless issue,” said FNB volunteer, Amy Nelson.

John Johnson, a FNB supporter, would also like to see the city take the initiative and come up with some programs to “provide jobs, homes, and gardens for the homeless and poor people.”

Many people from various backgrounds in the Chattanooga community publicly came out to support Food Not Bombs for the Victory Celebration. Jeff Styles, the host of WGOW News Talk 1150, stated: “It wasn’t the police who wanted Food Not Bombs to stop serving food. The police got their marching orders from the developers. The main figures in the downtown development believe feeding the hungry in Miller Park is an eyesore.”

Rosie, an elderly woman who lives on a fixed income, feels grateful for the regular servings from Food Not Bombs. She said: “They’re a godsend. Regardless of the weather they are here feeding people, and it is not just the homeless. It is families, people on fixed incomes, women with children and anybody who is hungry. I don’t know what I would do if Food Not Bombs stopped serving. They really help me out a lot.”

During the victory celebration, Fazio proclaimed: “The permit means nothing to us. The city can revoke the permit anytime. If they do, we have the community behind us to support Food Not Bombs. Serving food to the hungry will continue no matter what.”

Asheville Wal-Mart decision postponed; continuance scheduled for July 23

By Beth Trigg

Asheville, North Carolina, July 26 (AGR)— After nine hours of public comment, Asheville City Council voted on June 26 to postpone their decision on the proposed Super Wal-Mart development at the Sayles Bleachery site until almost a month later.  Hundreds spoke out against the development, including neighborhood residents, environmentalists, business owners, and former mayor Leni Sitnick.

”We were elected to make these decisions,” said Councilwoman Terry Bellamy, “if that means extra time, that’s OK.”

The discussion will continue, and a final decision will likely be made, at the Council meeting on July 23 at 5pm.

Community Supported Development (CSD), the grassroots organization that is coordinating opposition to the development, says that they are gratified that Council voted for the continuance.

“We are glad that Council had the good judgement to recognize the problems with Riverbend Business Partners’ plan,” says Christopher Fielden, an Oakley homeowner and member of CSD.  “City Council is acknowledging with this continuance what we have been saying all along: there are serious issues relating to traffic, impact on surrounding neighborhoods, environmental impact, and other conditions of the city’s Unified Development Ordinance that must be addressed.”  Fielden joined hundreds of other Asheville residents speaking at the city’s public hearing on the development on June 25.

Because the public hearing portion of the meeting was officially closed before the council’s decision to postpone, there will likely be no opportunity for public comment at the meeting on the 23rd.  However, CSD encourages citizens to attend: “We need Council to know that the eyes of the public are watching this decision,” said Sharon Martin.

The developers have told Council that their plan, as Bob Deutch puts it, “complies fully with the UDO, and would be very, very good both for Asheville and Buncombe County.” Their testimony included references to job creation, “beautification” of an “eyesore” [the existing Sayles buildings], and increased sales and property tax revenues for the city.  The developers’ local architectural consultants, Masters and Gentry, refer to the development as “creating living, working, and other opportunities” for the general public in Asheville.

Opponents want to make sure that Council hears substantial arguments against the development based on the environmental impacts and the effects on local neighborhoods.  “But if we want Council to know that there’s another perspective on this,” says Heather Steele, who opposes the development, “we’d better make sure we’re there in Council Chambers.”

LOCAL BRIEFS

Atlanta protests to focus on
Coke labor abuses
The National Food Industry Worker’s Union in Colombia, with legal assistance from the United Steelworkers of America and the International Labor Rights Fund, have brought a suit against Coca-Cola in US Federal Court. To gain support for the lawsuit, the unions are launching a public hearing to expose the abuses committed by Coke against its workers and the people of Colombia.

In the past 10 years, Coke managers in Colombia have fired 10,000 workers, closed plants throughout the country, and have allegedly framed labor leaders in an attempt to imprison them.

According to the lawsuit, AUC paramilitary forces assassinated Isidro Segundo Gil, a member of the union’s executive board, at the gates of the Coke bottling plant in Carepa and then kidnapped another union leader from his home.  Later the paramilitaries destroyed the union’s offices. The next day paramilitaries went to the Carepa plant and threatened workers with death if they did not resign from the union.The suit claims the plant manager gave the order to destroy the union.

Workers were in the process of negotiating a contract with management, but after Gil’s murder, the union dissolved, workers were fired, and the company hired new workers for less pay.

Organizers say these events are just an example of violence against workers in Coca-Cola plants in Colombia. 

Three days of presentations, planning sessions, and actions have been planned to support the lawsuit.
(See Resource Guide for details).
(Melissa Fridlin, AGR)

Police raid ruled unconstitutional
A high-profile Durham, NC police raid of an apartment complex in February was unconstitutional, and the actions of some officers amounted to “tortious or criminal conduct,” Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson ruled July 10 after viewing television news footage of the search.

Hudson’s ruling came in connection with a request by the Public Defender’s Office that Durham television station WTVD be required to turn over unedited tapes made at the scene of the raid.

Hudson’s order jeopardizes the criminal cases against at least six people and bolsters the public defender’s efforts to have criminal charges dismissed on constitutional grounds in other court venues.

It could also help others pursue civil claims against the police or the television station.

Hudson’s order said the “presence of the media on the property of residents without their consent would amount to tortious conduct”—conduct for which a civil action may be brought.

Hudson did not specify what actions of officials he viewed as possible criminal conduct.

An internal investigation by the police, conducted at the request of the Durham NAACP, found no misconduct on the part of officers.

The raid included searches of several apartments, foot patrols of the complex and license checkpoints. The police made 35 arrests.

Curtis Gatewood, president of the local NAACP chapter, said that Hudson’s order is “a step towards justice.” (Charlotte News & Observer)