Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves has announced on social media that someone has obtained a permit for Food Not Bombs to continue its Friday food giveways in the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza.
Post: “Great news on this Friday to share. An individual has stepped up to obtain a permit to ensure the good work of assisting those in need at MLK Plaza can continue. This is a positive and a harmonious resolution to what is an ambiguous situation. It’s also a reminder of what we can achieve when we work together in good faith to support one another. Thank you to Food Not Bonds for this work and our city staff for making it happen.”
Background: On Friday, Nov. 28, Food Not Bombs organizer Mike Kimberl was arrested for refusing to show his ID to a Pensacola police officer, who wanted to issue him a warning that the food events violated city ordinances.
At his press conference on Monday, Reeves addressed Kimberl’s arrest, calling the incident “another case” of problems created by informal “handshake agreements” rather than written policies.
“This particular incident was rooted in some ambiguity,” Reeves said. “There was a handshake agreement from 14 years ago, and I tried to do my best for the sake of both parties to always get rid of handshake agreements and have some clarity.”
While expressing appreciation for efforts to help the homeless community, Reeves said he reviewed video of the incident and “stand[s] fully by our officer and his professionalism and his conduct throughout this particular incident.”
“I don’t think that Mr. Kimberl had any ill intent, and I certainly don’t think our officer had any ill intent,” the mayor said. “But this is one of those things where why we try to eliminate ambiguity is that there is a rule on the books clearly that the park closes at night.”