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Waukegan FNB Shut Down by Cops

Waukegan Food-Not-Bombs Shut Down by Cops
Waukegan is under-going a process of gentrification that has been initiated by the municipal government. Waukegan, considered part of the "rust belt," is an area effected harshly by the shift of the industrial economy to a service economy due to Globalized businesses pulling up their stakes. Rates of homelessness and unemployment are growing all the time. Just over 10% of the population of the city is below the poverty-line and it is constantly growing.
Meanwhile, the city, which is largely a Hispanic enclave, is controlled by a small group of White elites, who believe that the best way to "revitalize" the city is to make accommodations for other rich people, so that all "undesired" people will be forced out of the area.

They renovated a multi-million dollar theater to attract people Downtown, they encouraged cafes to come, and they have encouraged art galleries to start. All of this has an ultimate goal of attracting people from rich, North Shore suburbs to come to Waukegan to watch Jerry Springer put on a show at the Genesee theater--where ticket costs start at almost 50 dollars. This is where just sewing the seeds for gentrification begins and where repression begins.

The Waukegan FNB has been shut down for a second time. The Waukegan Police Dept. and the city government have been forcing homeless people out of the Downtown area for a few months already, and have installed security cameras everywhere to monitor the Downtown area. The city's solution is simple: hide your problems and they will go away. But RedAlert Collective's Food-not-Bombs is an act of defiance against this; feeding homeless people right in the middle of Downtown.

According to the News page of the Red Alert Site:

March 13, 2005
In retaliation to the gentrification of Waukegan, we did Food not Bombs the same as we would every week. It was originally shut down because PR goons in the Waukegan elected office are trying to move out the homeless and working class people away from downtown Waukegan, to further their efforts to create a city which appeals to rich out-of-towners. Police threatened to arrest FnB volunteers but were unsuccessful in keeping us out of the city. Food Not Bombs went off without a hitch Saturday. Though it was cold out, more people came and ate food than most other weeks. The News Sun ignored the R@C's press release. Police did not bother us, but drove around the area a few times. Thanks to all of those who came out and supported the cause. Food Not Bombs will continue to be held every Saturday from 11 to 2 at Jack Benny Plaza in downtown Waukegan. Please bring any vegan or vegetarian treats that you can spare.


And the second time it read:

April 25, 2005
This last Saturday, Food Not Bombs was shut down for the second time by the police. In the 40 minutes that we were out there (it also started to snow) we fed 7 people, and we were even feeding a lady while the cop approached us. We'll post up information on what is going down soon. Until then, Food Not Bombs is on temporary hiatus.
Also, the police are being kind enough to monitor our site for us. This info comes after an e-mail to the collective from the Waukegan Police Department concerning FnB.


In addition to this post from the News page, it is important to note that when presented with legal information from the Samaritan Act--which is a federal law that would allow us to feed people without a permit, one police officer responded, "I don't give a shit." The Waukegan city government has attempted to force RedAlert Collective to jump through multiple hoops, stating that there were 6 permits (for food service, assembly, etc.) that were necessary to do FNB. And even though they were presented with information that park district regulations allowed for an unpermitted picnic with up to fifteen people present, and although they were presented with federal legislation, RedAlert continues to be bullied.

The WPD continue to monitor the site, and RedAlert Collective members are threatened with arrest if they choose to assemble again to feed people.

We need to draw as much attention to the wrong-doings of the WPD and city government as possible, and we ask all activists in the Chicago-area for solidarity.

We will be posting plans soon, and we ask for you to join us.
 
 

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