New Orlando Group Set to Nullify the Law by Illegally Conducting Ongoing Food Sharing Protests at City Hall

Orlando, Florida, August 22, 2010

A group of protesters calling themselves the “City Hall Sandwich Club” will be conducting their second public act of civil disobedience by openly and intentionally breaking the group feeding ordinance, passed by the City of Orlando. The group plans to go right in front of City Hall, 5PM Monday August 23, as the City Council meets and distribute sandwiches, fruit, cookies and more to the hungry.

The group will also be joined by scores of supports, both the homeless and homeless activists, showing support by wearing T-Shirts promoting the group’s website www.CityHallSandwichClub.com. This site will document the ongoing food sharings at City Hall.

John Kurtz, founder of the City Hall Sandwich Club sent an open letter to Mayor Dyer as well as the City Council on Thursday inviting them to participate in the illegal food sharing.

“Not surprisingly no one responded to my invitation” Said Kurtz “If anything I was expecting a threat of arrest as a response, but didn’t even get that, so it looks like we will go on with the show as planned”

When asked if he is intentionally mocking City Hall by openly disobeying them in the public spot light Kurtz responded “My goal is to shed as much light on this issue as possible, while at the same time making it clear to City Hall that I can not be stopped. If they think I am going away they are wrong. If they think they can stop me, they are wrong. They have over played their hand; this ordinance is so evil that the people simply will not tolerate it. Mocking them, well that is just a bonus I suppose.”

Orlando City Ordinance 18A.09, or the ‘Large Group Feeding Ordinance’ says that on public property within a two mile radius of City Hall it is “unlawful to knowingly sponsor, conduct or participate in the distribution or service of food” to groups of 25 or more, including the distributors and servers. This ordinance, affectionately called by many the ‘Anti-Homeless Feeding Ordinance’ has been surrounded by controversy since its inception. After a series of legal battles, the law is still being upheld by the courts.

Kurtz and Company hope to give out over 100 Sandwiches and other food as well as dozens of City Hall Sandwich Club T-Shirts Monday evening at City Hall without being arrested.