Elderly Pastor Arrested For Feeding Homeless

[Bebe 17,289]

A 90-year-old man is facing up to 60 days in jail for feeding the needy due to a new law that bans people in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from meal-sharing with the public.

 

Arnold Abbott risks being fined $500 and spending time in prison after police officers apprehended him while he was handing out meals to homeless people in a park on Sunday.

 

He was arrested and charged along with two ministers from the Sanctuary Church, which prepares hundreds of meals to dish out every week in their kitchen, while shocked onlookers shouted to officers "shame on you!" in a video published by NY Daily News.

 

Mr Abbott said: "One of police officers came over and said ‘Drop that plate right now,’ as if I was carrying a weapon."

 

He added: "These are the poorest of the poor, they have nothing, they don't have a roof over their heads. How do you turn them away?"

 

In 1999, Mr Abbott sued the City of Fort Lauderdale after he was banned from feeding the homeless on the beach and the court found that the rule was against the Constitution. The new law - which has come into effect or is planned to in Seattle, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Dallas, and Philadelphia - was passed last week.

 

Ron Book, a city lobbyist, told the US newspaper Sun Sentinel: "Whatever discourages feeding people on the streets is a positive thing."

 

Mr Abbott, who describes himself as his "brother's keeper" who believes "love thy neighbour as thyself", is planning to sue the city again and intends to continue his good-hearted deeds.

 

The new regulations require groups to be at least 500 feet away from residential properties and food sites are restricted to one per city block, but charities have criticised the rules as forms of implementing social cleansing.

 

Michael Stoops, community organiser at the National Coalition for the Homeless, told NBC News: "Economic development and tourism don't mesh well with homeless folks and the agencies that serve them."

 

Mr Abbott set up Love Thy Neighbour in memory of his late wife Maureen in order to continue the humanitarian work they both did by regularly making and sharing food at Holiday Park and Fort Lauderdale Beach.

 

Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/ninetyyearold-man-faces-jail-for-giving-food-to-homeless-people-9838728.html

Here is video of the arrest:

http://vimeo.com/110782240

[Gianni Versace 2,987]

so Florida can make laws on sharing food with homeless people but not on all the other ****ed up **** that happens there?

 

is this a sick joke?

[Gagz 2,580]

:eww:

[ThisGuyTony 34,969]

Ridiculous!!

 

:excuseme:  :excuseme:

[Hedi 3]

Why is that even a law?

[Jonna Lee 384]

Lovely to see America's priorities lying with "tourism and development" rather than "loving thy neighbour" and helping the "poorest of the poor"!

And we wonder why our nation is so ****ed up :Miley:

[GagaXCupcakke 3,818]

They can't arrest someone that old.  They let people that age get away with shoplifting 

[Miker 5,683]

I've heard about not feeding the pigeons but this is ridiculous........

[JustPokeHerFace 2,564]

I know we live in a selfish nation, but I didn't know it was at the point where people are being arrested for being generous. 

[Staryu 6,162]

What kind of stupid law is that, what the hellllllll

[Tommymonster44 0]

Why is that even a law?

Its an attempt to force the poor people out of the cities.

This is interesting because in the 1950's in America, white flight occurred. Affluent white people moved from the city to the suburbs in order to escape the poor and minority groups. Now, there seems to be renewed interest in cities, and we are seeing many suburban children choose to move back into the city. With that, we've seen an increase in policies that try to decrease the amount of poor and minorities in these cities.

[Princess Die 1,864]

Since the artRAVE already happened there can we somehow cut Flordia off from North America, plz? I don't want them sending a bad example and it smells like ****.

[Princess Die 1,864]

Lovely to see America's priorities lying with "tourism and development" rather than "loving thy neighbour" and helping the "poorest of the poor"!

And we wonder why our nation is so ****ed up

I live in Napa Valley and I can honestly say this is 100% true. Don't believe what they say on the wine magazines, the amount of homeless here is staggering. And instead of actually helping them like the rest of the civilized world they are incarcerated half the time. All for the sake of the rich tourists.

I know, I was there once.

[heavymlover 340]

So they are basically trying to exterminate the homeless people instead of helping them 

[theMonster5 74]

How you like it if that guy serve food in front of your house or apartment which attract 50 homeless people who are stinky and most have d--g and alcohol problem? You want 50 homeless people to hang around your house or apartment each day? Not me, so I support the new law. The homeless people can go to his church for food which is legal so no need for him to attract homeless people to other people's properties.