Organized by A.S.C.M., the Jesus and the Tax Collectors protest represents widespread dissatisfaction with recent local anti-homeless policy initiatives.

Online PR News � 02-May-2016 � Local community leaders Arthur Carl Kanev and Father Bob Caudill have announced and organized a formal policy protest in front of Oakland Park City Hall for Thursday, May 5th. The protest, labeled Jesus and the Tax Collectors, represents growing dissatisfaction with recent Oakland Park policy pertaining to maltreatment and disregard of the local homeless population.

According to both Caudill and Kanev, the protest concerns the disregard and violation of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America through the chronic and illegal invasion of the sanctity of the All Saints Catholic Church, of which Caudill is the leader. The protest is designed to both demonstrate and raise awareness of the (recent) abuse and criminalization of the unhoused and destitute population of the City of Oakland Park, as well as of those missionaries and volunteers who have donated their time to help the less fortunate.

Jesus and the Tax Collectors was borne from several key actions taken by city officials over the past year; including, but not limited to, recent $500/day fines levied against the All Saints Catholic Church, a recent re-zoning effort that ultimately resulted in the churchs closure, and repeated civil rights (1st Amendment) violations. The zoning change, influenced by what protest organizers call avaricious influences and the lobbying of greedy developers, is alleged to have taken place illegally, and is the primary impetus for the aforementioned protest.

In an effort to enhance both visibility and impact of the event, the protest has been scheduled for the same date and time as a pre-planned City of Oakland Park picnic. Headed by Caudill, Arthur Kanev and fellow community leader Howard Pyle, the protest hopes to attract many others from throughout the community who wish to advocate on behalf of the local homeless population.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has elected to represent the church on a pro-bono basis concerning recent civil rights violations. In addition, the US Justice Department has decided to pursue an investigation of this matter in more depth.