Homeless Advocates Protest Outside Mayor Jack Seiler's Home

By Chris Joseph Wed., Nov. 12 2014 at 2:00 PM

photo: Ted Scouten via Twitter

As reported earlier by New Times, a midmorning protest went on as scheduled outside of the home of Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler on Wednesday. About 60 homeless advocates and some homeless people carried signs and chanted outside the home while mounted police guarded Seiler's driveway.

The protest was the latest outcry by advocates who say the city's new ordinance is a violation against homeless people. The new ordinance laid down restrictions on public food sharing, essentially prohibiting feeding the homeless.

Arnold Abbott, a 90-year-old chef who heads the nonprofit Love Thy Neighbor, has already been cited twice by the city and is facing possible jail time.

The Sun Sentinel reports that protesters lined the street outside of Seiler's home and that police officers gathered in the driveway. At no time did the protest get out of hand, and no arrests were made.

Meanwhile, Seiler has continued his tour of defending the ordinance by appearing on local radio to discuss it and imply that certain homeless advocate groups may be behind Abbott's recent rejection of feeding areas offered by the city.

Seiler was interviewed by Rick Sanchez of WIOD-AM and said that Abbott was offered the Aquatics Complex located at 501 Seabreeze Blvd. as a place where he could give food to the homeless for his weekly Wednesday feedings.

But, Seiler says, Abbott rejected that offer, as well as a space by the Church by the Sea, located at 2700 Mayan Drive.

To that, Seiler says there might be a "larger agenda" behind Abbott turning down the spaces.

"It makes you wonder: Is the issue really feeding homeless, or is there a bigger agenda here?" Seiler told WIOD. He also blamed Food Not Bombs and the Homeless Voice for "hijacking" the outdoor feeding sites where the ordinance is enforced.

Seiler called the protesters by his home "outsiders" and said there were there "to agitate."

Protest outside home of Fort Lauderdale Mayor #JackSeiler re: homeless feeding feud. @CBSMiami @GabyontheGo pic.twitter.com/m28rmO0aQy
— Ted Scouten (@CBS4Ted) November 12, 2014

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Erica K. Landau

Could never be SEILER who has the agenda!!

KennyPowersII topcommenter

Maybe Jack wants to herd the homeless and send them down the road. Will he offer transportation to the "feeding sites" he proposes". Cattle cars and Trail of Tears on a local scale.Maybe Jack can pass out the smallpox blankets and end the homeless problem forever. It always come down to a property struggle and who can control the turf.

Colton Carmean

My god. I didnt realize he did that. What a monster. Good thing theres saints like Seiler out there keeping this threat to society under control.

Lorraine Saunders

Who do you think invited the media to these feedings? Arnold Abbot has been doing this for years. The only time the media shows up is when he's breaking a new law because he refuses to just abide by the rules. Now he wants to sue the city again so here are the cameras. The city did not say he can't have feedings only that there must be rules for the safety of the homeless and all of the citizens.