Fort Lauderdale’s efforts to shut down a nonprofit group’s weekly events sharing food with the homeless in a downtown park violate the First Amendment, because the city gave its permitting officials unfettered discretion over approving this type of event, the Eleventh Circuit said Tuesday.
Fort Lauderdale Food Not Bombs hosts food-sharing events in Stranahan Park to communicate its message that scarce social resources unjustly go towards military projects and away from feeding the hungry. The group displays its banner and passes out brochures at the events.
The city attempted to shut down the practice under a local rule stating parks ...