ORANGE COUNTY, Fla.,None — Members of the controversial group Food Not Bombs that feeds the homeless, moved their meal from Lake Eola to the Orlando City Hall on Monday and are now in compliance with food sharing permit rules.
But members of the group said they will go back to Lake Eola, even though that could mean arrests.
For the first time in months, Orlando Food Not Bombs is showing a hint of compromise.
The group took its food to City Hall steps, even though last week group members told WFTV that they refused to leave the park where they keep getting arrested.
We dont use City Hall because it doesn't have all the amenities that we need, the people need, like public restrooms, said Eric Montanez, of Food Not Bombs.
They said they're at City Hall because the mayor at one point invited them there as an alternative to Lake Eola, where the group has continually violated food-sharing permitting rules.
"Because of the consistency of being able to help somebody, we need to be in a location where people know were going to be, said Montanez.
But because the location they set up is not a legal place for it, 26 members so far have been arrested.
The group recently filed an injunction against the city to stop the arrests, but a judge on Friday said he wasn't ready to rule on that.
WFTV asked Food Not Bombs if the move to City Hall means they're going to start moving their food to places where they wont be breaking the law.
"Does this mean that you're willing to move and consider other places? asked WFTV reporter Kenneth Craig.
"No," Montanez replied. "We're going to be in Lake Eola Park."
WFTV
