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Lawsuit against ban on feeding homeless in court today
The ban issued by Mayor Nutter on feeding the homeless in Philadelphia is contested by the ACLU and Philadelphia religious organizations.
Lawsuit against ban on feeding homeless in court today
A lawsuit over the ban on feeding the homeless outdoors, filed by the Philadelphia chapter of the ACLU against Mayor Nutter and the City of Philadelphia, kicked off yesterday morning and will likely wrap up today. For years, multiple religious organizations including the Chosen 300 Ministries, The Welcome Church, The King’s Jubilee and Philly Restart have been providing free food for the homeless in outdoor areas all around Philadelphia. The ban, which was supposed to take effect in early June, would prohibit outdoor feeding in city parks, allowing distribution only at a designated site outside City Hall.
The most prominent point of discussion in the trial was the issue of the reason behind the ban. When passing the law, Mayor Nutter claimed that by limiting the ability to provide free food to the homeless to the indoors, the city would create a more sanitary situation for all parties involved. Many religious members disagree, however. Brian Jenkins, a member of Chosen 300 Ministries claims that by restricting the feeding to City Hall, Philadelphia is creating a “separate-but-equal mentality. The message is that the homeless are lower [than other Philadelphia citizens].”
The restriction to City Hall raises further issues for members of the ACLU and religious organizations, who claim that feeding in City Hall makes many people feel “uncomfortable” due to the larger police presence. Jenkins explains that some of the people who they feed are mentally ill and “have difficulties with the police,” which can, in some circumstances, make the situation unsafe.
The ban comes at a bad time, claims Sister Mary Scullion of Project H.O.M.E. Scullion says that the $160 million cut in funding to general assistance, which comes into effect on August 1, will most likely leave more Philadelphia citizens homeless, and as a result, in need of free food.
The trial will resume this morning at 9 a.m.
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