PORTLAND, Ore. — Volunteers spent the afternoon serving free meals in Portland parks.
The so called pop up picnics were designed as a protest of a new city ordinance.
The ordinance requires a permit to serve meals in parks and it can only be done once a week.
Community groups have filed a lawsuit to try to block the ordinance. Benji Vuong helped organize the pop up picnics he said, “This is to take a stance and make a point that you can’t infringe on our right to assemble.”
Volunteers have been serving meals at Director’s Park in Southwest Portland five nights a week since 2013.
Daniel Dodge is one of those who got a meal at a pop up picnic he said, “A lot of people depend on it. Even if it’s just a little bit of food or coffee or soup. It helps.”
The city says the intent of the new ordinance is to establish coordination and keep a process in place to support these services and events.