Police Charge 90-Year-Old Man and Two Pastors for Feeding the Homeless

Amaury · Nov 4, 2014

I actually feel sorry for the police who have to carry these things out, as they're just doing what their superiors tell them to do, no matter how stupid the laws are. The charges come in accordance with a recent law that went into effect that makes it illegal to feed the homeless.

The old man is suing the city once again, and I hope he wins!

Source: Local 10

Published: November 3, 2014

See the video in the source above.

Local 10 said:

Fort Lauderdale police charged three men -- including two pastors and a 90-year-old man -- for feeding the homeless in public on Sunday, the first such cases made by the city after the a new ordinance effectively banning public food sharings took effect Friday.

The first to be charged was homeless advocate Arnold Abbott, 90, who has been feeding the homeless in Fort Lauderdale for more than 20 years. Also cited were two Christian ministers -- Dwayne Black, pastor of The Sanctuary Church in Fort Lauderdale, and Mark Sims of St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church in Coral Springs.

All three men face up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.

"One of the police officers said, 'Drop that plate right now,' as if I were carrying a weapon," said Abbott, who runs a nonprofit group called Love Thy Neighbor, Inc. "It's man's inhumanity to man is all it is."

In 1999, the city tried to stop Abbott from feeding the homeless on Fort Lauderdale Beach, prompting a lawsuit from Abbott, which he won. Now he said he will fight the municipal ordinance charge and be forced to take the city back to court.

"I’m going to have to go to court again and sue the city of Fort Lauderdale -- a beautiful city," said Abbott. "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?"

Abbott said he won't turn them away and is planning to bring food to the beach this Wednesday evening with the expectation that he may be hit with another charge.

"I don't do things to purposefully aggravate the situation," said Abbott. "I'm trying to work with the city. Any human has the right to help his fellow man."
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Makaze · Nov 4, 2014

Vagrancy laws have been in place since Lincoln's time that made it illegal to be without home or employment. Those who approached a town without either had to either leave or go to jail. This had a huge impact on slaves who were newly freed, but not employed or owners of land. These laws forced many former slaves back to their masters just to avoid being arrested. They helped create a culture that was very hostile to vagrants, especially from the police. These laws were not challenged until the 1960s. They were finally dispelled completely in 1972 when in Papachristou v. Jacksonville, 405 U.S. 156, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a Florida vagrancy law was unconstitutional because it was too vague to be understood. Unfortunately, laws like those against feeding the homeless and that the homeless cannot sleep in parks have replaced these vague vagrancy laws, and little has changed.

This has been a part of the police force's job since the police were created. Take no pity; they do not mind.

Iskandar · Nov 4, 2014

Did a homeless person break in to that mayor's house at one point and murder his family or something? Because that's the only thing I can think of that'd have enough impact to create such a stupid law. Good God, it's not like homeless people are stray animals. Are they going to start putting up signs that say "DON'T FEED THE HOMELESS" now too? Puh-leeze, this is the dumbest case I've heard about. Remind me to go to Fort Lauderdale for vacation some time, pack a few pounds of extra food I don't need, and "accidentally" leave it in front of homeless people and say they're find to eat it.

Makaze · Nov 4, 2014

Iskandar said: ↑

Did a homeless person break in to that mayor's house at one point and murder his family or something? Because that's the only thing I can think of that'd have enough impact to create such a stupid law. Good God, it's not like homeless people are stray animals. Are they going to start putting up signs that say "DON'T FEED THE HOMELESS" now too? Puh-leeze, this is the dumbest case I've heard about. Remind me to go to Fort Lauderdale for vacation some time, pack a few pounds of extra food I don't need, and "accidentally" leave it in front of homeless people and say they're find to eat it.
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Those signs already exist.

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Police Charge 90-Year-Old Man and Two Pastors for Feeding the Homeless

Amaury Chaser

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Makaze Some kind of mercenary

Iskandar King of Conquerors

Premium

Makaze Some kind of mercenary