Phillip Picone, the first of dozens to challenge a ticket for feeding the hungry outside the Houston Public Library in violation of local law, has been declared 'not guilty' by a jury.
Volunteer group 'Food Not Bombs' serves meals to the homeless at the corner of McKinney and Smith Streets in downtown Houston.cited public health and safety concerns as their reasoning behind ticketing the volunteers, saying that the increase in homeless individuals outside the library has caused threats and violent incidents for visitors and families.
Before it began ticketing volunteers, the city requested that the group move their food service down the street to 61 Riesner Street, also known as the old Houston Police Headquarters. But one volunteer toldthat"Food Not Bombs" did not"need to be in a place where we can see jail cells and barbed wire."
"That is a major asset of the city of Houston. We have a few too many homeless folk and feeding programs in front of Central Houston," Turner said.
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