Fredericton Food not Bombs receives intimidation from security guard. The response? : IMC Maritimes

On Saturday, September 3rd at 2pm, two members of the Fredericton Food not Bombs crew set out their free food for the week in the courtyard of City Hall. This scene has been played nearly every week, without problems, since the energetic revival of Fredericton Food not Bombs on March 19th, 2005.

On that first day, there were nearly 100 people dining on the vegan food donated from Aura and True foods, two local organic food stores. There was music and people speaking, all to coincide with the global solidarity rally against the US-led occupation of Iraq. Even with the large crowd, there were no complaints by the security guards or police about any problems with the presence of Food not Bombs. How could such complaints be legitimate in a public space?

On other occasions, a few dozen people would show up; one time about 60. No complaints were raised by the security guards or police about the presence of Food not Bombs, as long as the area was not damaged and people did not obstruct the pathway to the building. Neither of these two problems arose.

Although Food not Bombs left for a few weeks from the City Hall venue and moved to the Officer's Square park downtown, it returned in the last few weeks to the original location. With the much smaller numbers of attendees of late, Food not Bombs became even less noticable, except for a banner hung from the base of the fountain in the courtyard, out of anyone's way, and with the secutiry guard's approval of "no problem".

So on September 3rd, when two Food not Bombs members showed up, without even bringing the banner with them, they were indeed surprized when the security guard intervened into their serving of free food. They were there for perhaps a half-hour when the guard told them to leave. He told them if they came back, he would call the police and have them arrested. They did leave, considering that they already had a low presence that week.

This can be seen as nothing but intimidation. On a day when only two members were around, a guard stepped in and tried to scare Food not Bombs away. There are no legitimate grounds for arrest in such a situation; it's public property and they have the right to assemble there. And assembly is the intention next week.

On Saturday September 10th at 2pm, Food not Bombs plans to return to City Hall with free, vegan food. Food will be available to security guards, as it has always been--many offers have been made--however, intimidation will not be accepted.

Please come support Fredericton Food not Bombs with your presence, eat free food, and catch some free music. It has been one of the new additions of life to that dead part of downtown Fredericton, bringing many young people, kids and a few elders out into a brief, spontaneaous community. Perhaps that's what the city is afraid of?

It should be noted that Fredericton Food not Bombs donates leftovers to the Community Kitchen (soup kitchen) and has fed several people who are regular attendees of the soup kitchen, i.e. who need food.