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‘Criminalizing kindness’: US woman arrested for feeding homeless people sues

beijingwalker

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‘Criminalizing kindness’: US woman arrested for feeding homeless people sues

Norma Thornton, 78, files lawsuit against Bullhead City in north-west Arizona over law about food-sharing events in public park

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A homeless encampment in Phoenix, the capital of Arizona. Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images

A woman who was arrested for feeding homeless people in north-west Arizona is suing over a local ordinance that regulates food-sharing events in public parks, accusing the authorities of criminalizing kindness.

Norma Thornton, 78, became the first person arrested under Bullhead City’s ordinance in March for distributing prepared food from a van at Bullhead community park. Her lawyer said the lawsuit filed this week is part of a nationwide effort to let people feed those in need.

Criminal charges against Thornton were eventually dropped, but she is seeking an injunction to stop the city from enforcing the ordinance that took effect in May 2021.

“Bullhead City has criminalized kindness,” Thornton’s case attorney, Suranjan Sen, told Phoenix TV station KPHO. “The city council passed an ordinance that makes it a crime punishable by four months’ imprisonment to share food in public parks for charitable purposes.”

Bullhead City’s mayor, Tom Brady, said the ordinance applies only to public parks. He said churches, clubs and private properties are free to serve food to the homeless without a permit.


Thornton owned a restaurant for many years before retiring in Arizona and said she wanted to use her cooking skills to help the less fortunate.

“I have always believed that when you have plenty, you should share,” Thornton said.

According to the Mohave Valley Daily News, Thornton said she had continued to feed people in need, from private property not far from the community park.

Criminal charges were dropped “in the interest of justice” the city prosecutor, Martin Rogers, had said, according to the Mohave Valley Daily News, but Thornton later agreed to let the non-profit Institute for Justice take up a legal case.

“We are seeking an injunction,” the institute’s Sen said, the paper reported, with the aim that the authorities “cannot apply this ordinance against Norma or anybody else”.

The case claims the law infringes on Thornton’s right to carry out charitable acts.

 
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Part of American freedom and democracy. Its worth it to American ....


These jerk shall be locked up and stop terrorizing the public becos of US democracy. Criminal are used loopholes to free them so that they can continue terrorize the taxpaying law abiding citizen.

In China , such thing will never happened.
 
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Part of American freedom and democracy. Its worth it to American ....


These jerk shall be locked up and stop terrorizing the public becos of US democracy. Criminal are used loopholes to free them so that they can continue terrorize the taxpaying law abiding citizen.

In China , such thing will never happened.
Haven't seen any homeless people for years in China
 
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I wonder why US qualifies as 1st world country.
Becos of their hype media and propaganda. Constantly repeat the lies in your ears. Just like how successful Hollywood selling the delusion and hide the ugliness of decaying USA.
 
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Part of American freedom and democracy. Its worth it to American ....


These jerk shall be locked up and stop terrorizing the public becos of US democracy. Criminal are used loopholes to free them so that they can continue terrorize the taxpaying law abiding citizen.

In China , such thing will never happened.

Man charged with rape of woman walking her dogs in Torrance​

DarellWaters.png

Darrell Waters, shown in this photo provided by the Torrance Police Department, was arrested on Aug. 1, 2022, for a sexual assault, police said.

These jerk shall be locked up and stop terrorizing the public becos of US democracy. Criminal are used loopholes to free them so that they can continue terrorize the taxpaying law abiding citizen.

Can't because Chinese PDF members love to scream "the US has unfair white racism in the judicial system" even though probably 95% of the crime stories posted here have a non-white perpetrator...yet you are still not making the connection.
 
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