Mayor Nutter Appears in Federal Court to Defend Homeless Feeding Ban

On Tuesday, Mayor Nutter appeared in federal court to defend Philadelphia’s ban on feeding the homeless on parkland like the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and LOVE Park. The ban has been challenged on the issue of constitutionality as a number of groups say that it violates their First Amendment rights to practice their religion freely.

City solicitors told the judge the groups need not stop feeding the homeless, altogether, that they’ve been offered alternate space at City Hall. They say the mayor will explain the evolution of the policy after years of concern about the waste and stress feeding programs in the parks cause. [CBS 3]