PSNI Threaten To Shut Down Belfast Food Not Bombs

by redjade Fri Aug 06, 2004 11:08

BY GLENN THRUSH
Newsday.com

Even an army that opposes war marches on its stomach.

Organizers for anarchist, down-with-the-GOP and anti-war groups are quietly creating a logistical network to feed thousands of young, down-in-the-heel protesters expected to flock to the city for the Republican National Convention. Several groups, led by the nationwide coalition Food Not Bombs, which provides vegetarian meals to the homeless, are assembling volunteers and cooking tools and making arrangements with food donors for the convention, organizers said. "This is going to be the biggest thing we've done in years," said Food Not Bombs founder Keith McHenry, who was stripped of his pots, pans and stoves when he tried to set up an open-air food kitchen on Boston Common during last week's convention.

"We expect to get hassled in New York, too, so we're going to do the cooking inside this time," said McHenry, who has catered hundreds of radical happenings during the past 25 years, from his office in Tucson, Ariz. "We keep it simple. We would probably have rice and beans and sauteed veggies and fruit salad."

McHenry thinks he can provide about 1,000 meals a day at protest sites.

by Spitfire Mk III Wed Jul 28, 2004 17:37

[email protected]

by Rooster Tue Jul 27, 2004 14:33

Actually, its illegal to film a police officer as this would be used to aid an asassination and we would'nt want that would we?

by radicaljonny Sun Jul 25, 2004 22:10 radicaljonny at yahoo dot ie

I live in the Donegall Road area of Belfast, and last Friday (23 July), the cops were out Coolfin street, about a hundered yards down from us helping three Nigerian men move out of their house. The night before, the cops had received a phone warning that the men would be bombed, and the men had awakened to find a suspect device out their back door. So racism in South Belfast continues absolutely unabated.

453 racist attacks last year. How many cases solved, or sentences handed down? Less than ten.

So, in lieu of actually doing something truly useful in our community, or bringing actual lawbreakers to book, the cops lurk on Botanic avenue to sting the infamous Parsnip Soup 4. For the record, and to state the very very obvious, this is hypocritical and unjust.

I've been out with FNB here in Belfast a couple of times, and helped prepare the offending parsnip soup. My Christian faith impels me to give to whoever needs, to speak truth to those in power, and to resist what destroys people. Crusty kid is right: If FNB were a bunch of middle class, elderly church ladies, the cops would give them no hassle, and would probably kick in a few pounds for the parsnips. Like I said, it's hypocritical and unjust. But they knock us down, we get up. They act, we resist.

Well done to the guys who were out on Thursday night serving. Well done keeping cool in the face of absurdity.

I'd recommend to anyone in Belfast to come out to help FNB. The more of us there are visibly out there, the better.

Massive props.

by crusty kid - food for all Sun Jul 25, 2004 14:02

im surprised that christians can give out free food on botanic and about the town but if you happen to have the same goodhearted concerns and are more alternative minded the cops want to bust you. wot is this? in this climate of racist oppression they should support the diversity of our city.. anyhow keep the flag flying. peaceout.

by paul o toole Sat Jul 24, 2004 01:17 pauljotoole at eircom dot net

Is there any such thing in Dublin with fnb. If there is could you send me detalis
Thanks,keep up the good work.

by merrovinginvanjan Fri Jul 23, 2004 22:30

amidst the usual and now familiar scenes of shoppers, shopping and carrying shopping bags, and without any fuss or trouble _throughout the province_ and offer them in the interface zones of their shopping a bowl of parsnip soup. I'm sure some would have prefered a hot cross bun and a nice cup of tea.

:-) keep on FNB-ing. And get your PSNI plodders to relax on the being filmed whilst they work. That's very important for building a workable society.

by paul c Fri Jul 23, 2004 17:54

viva la vegetable revolution

by TT Fri Jul 23, 2004 15:42

He thought ye might be terrorists?
Yeah, those blackeye beans do have that effect on some people. Then again, he may have had a bad experience with parsnip stew when he was little.
More likely of course he probably regards anyone whose lifestyle does not fit into a narrow pattern as "terrorist".
I hope you did not offer him any vegitarian chilli, that would probably prompt him to call out the riot squad.

by not me... Fri Jul 23, 2004 15:30

...keep it up.