ACLU Files Suit on the Behalf of Homeless Activists

A hearing is scheduled today on a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union against the city of Los Angeles for allegedly violating the 1st Amendment rights of seven activists arrested last month in Pershing Square while feeding the homeless.

The hearing comes 10 days after members of the Los Angeles chapter of Food Not Bombs, a national activist group that works to feed and bring attention to the homeless, were arrested when they refused to move from what they say is their regular meal distribution site near a temporary ice skating rink.

They were arrested by park rangers and LAPD officers for allegedly infringing on the operations of the Downtown on Ice skating rink, which has a permit.

The suit, filed in downtown federal court Tuesday morning, lists the city, the LAPD, the Department of Recreation and Parks and two individuals as defendants. It seeks a temporary restraining order to prevent them from interfering with the group’s activities until Jan. 17, the date the permit held by the skating rink is to expire.

Deputy City Atty. Laurie Rittenberg maintains the suit is unfounded, since park officials worked with the activists to negotiate an alternative food distribution site in the park. She also said government agencies have the right to regulate the time, place and manner of free speech.

“We just don’t understand what [the activists] are complaining about,” said Rittenberg. The city, she said, has been supportive of the group’s activities, but is simply asking them not to do it on park areas that require a permit.