FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 1, 2010
CONTACT: Food Not Bombs Keith McHenry - co-founder 575-770-3377
www.foodnotbombs.net
FOOD NOT BOMBS CELEBRATES 30 YEARS OF FEEDING THE HUNGRY IN PROTEST TO WAR, POVERTY, AND THE EXPLOITATION OF THE EARTH
TAOS, NEW MEXICO - Food Not Bombs is celebrating 30 years of feeding the hungry in protest to war, poverty, and the exploitation of the Earth by holding Soupstock free concerts and gatherings this May in cities around the world.
Food Not Bombs was started by eight activist after the May 24, 1980 protest to stop Seabrook Nuclear Power Station in New Hampshire. Food Not Bombs collects food that can't be sold, prepares food to share with the hungry in over 1,000 communities around the world. This all volunteer movement is dedicated to nonviolent direct action and has no headquarters or leaders.
Each group is autonomous and makes decisions using a process called consensus. The food is always vegan or vegetarian and free to anyone with out restriction.
Soon after Food Not Bombs started it's second group in San Francisco nine volunteers were jailed on August 15, 1988 for "making a political statement" by sharing free food. The police made over 1,000 arrests in San Francisco from 1988 to 1996. Orlando, Florida, Los Angeles, California and Las Vegas, Nevada and other cities in the United States have also made arrests but were not able to stop Food Not Bombs. Several Food Not Bombs volunteers have been stabbed to death in Russia by neo-nazis while feeding the hungry. Our New Orleans coordinator Helen Hill was shot to death after Katrina.
Amnesty International has designated all Food Not Bombs volunteers prisoners of conscience and worked for our unconditional release when they were imprisoned in the United States, Mexico and the Philippines. Food Not Bombs also initiated many grassroots projects including Indymedia, Homes Not jails housing occupations, Bikes Not Bombs, Food Not Lawns community gardens and The Really Really Free Markets. The Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States lists Food Not Bombs as a terrorist group even though volunteers are dedicated to nonviolence and fed the rescue workers in New York on 9/11, organized the food relief effort in New Orleans and other Gulf cities after Hurricane Katrina and feed the hungry every week in hundreds of American cities. Volunteers also fed the tent city protest during the Orange Revolution in Ukraine, provided meals at a 600 day farm workers vigil in Sarajevo and cooked for Cindy Sheehan's Camp Casey outside George Bush's summer home in Crawford, Texas. Food Not Bombs fed peace camps on the West Bank in Palestine, and climate change actions in Denmark, Iceland and Tazmania. Food Not Bombs cooked for the June 12, 1982 anti nuclear protest in Central Park, New York, the 1999 Seattle protest against the World Trade Organization and at the protests against the Republican and Democratic National Conventions. Three Food Not Bombs cook houses were raided by the F.B. I. and Homeland Security the day before the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis where eight volunteers were charged under the Patriot Act.
Food Not Bombs continues to work for change and provide food to the hungry in over 1,000 communities around the world as well as at many protests including immigrant rights actions, direct actions against coal mining, logging and oil drilling, animal cruelty, corporate domination, economic exploitation and the wars in Europe, Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Middle East.
### SOME OF THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY EVENTS REPORTED TO DATE
__________________________ May 23, 2010 Boston, Massachusetts USA
May 23rd from 12-5pm on the Boston Common, Boston, MA 02115 Call
Kassie Carlson at 774-521-9902 or email FNBBoston@gmail.com
__________________________ May 22-23, 2010 at Alice Springs, Australia
Saturday 22nd - from 5pm Free BBQ feast, acoustic music and movies
@ Arid Lands Environment Centre
Sunday 23rd - from 6pm Regular FNB serving, featuring extra super
spectacular free feast & live music Contact tasquoll@gmail.com
__________________________ May 14-16, 2010 in Monterrey, Mexico
The celebration starts with a tour thru points of Activism in this
Northern city of Mexico; followed by a day of Workshops and experiences
sharing, and proposals for linking and strengthening the efforts
of the participating chapters, closing with a Food Not Bombs table
and the Festival for the Active Peace.
Contact otrocomidanobombasmty@gmail.com
