North AmericaRich White folks represented by the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP) are trying to remove FNB from Market Square, where the group has served food to hungry people for 15 years.
Tuesday, June 10 2008 @ 02:30 AM CDT
Pittsburgh Food Not Bombs under attack
by Food Not Bombs
Saturday, Jun. 07, 2008
pittsburgh_fnb@yahoo.com
Food Not Bombs in going to need some help this next Sunday June 8th. Food
Not Bombs has served free healthy vegetarian food to hungry people at Market
Square for the last 15 years, but this past Sunday we got kicked out by the
Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. We found out that the Pittsburgh Downtown
Partnership has secured permits to use Market Square almost every day until
December, and they do not want us there. This past Sunday they called in
police to force us out of the area. Their rationale is that they are trying
to "economically revitalize" Market Square and that hungry people scare off
the rich people. They also stated that the homeless people do not contribute
to a safe and comfortable atmosphere for the new demographic they are trying
to attract.
We at FNB believe that we should have the right to serve free healthy meals
to hungry people in centrally located public spaces. We will not accept the
attempts by the PDP to hide and ignore the basic needs of the least
fortunate Pittsburghers.