The ACLU of North Carolina Legal Foundation has filed a complaint against the City of Asheville, contending that park bans issued against community members and the administrative policy that authorizes these bans are unconstitutional. The 14 plaintiffs in this case are individuals who regularly volunteered their time and efforts to provide food, supplies, and vital support to unhoused people in Asheville. They were banned from parks after they were charged with felony littering while participating in peaceful demonstration to protest the City’s treatment of unhoused people. The protests and gatherings involved demonstrations where Plaintiffs and other community members came together to distribute mutual aid, create art, and to demand that the City provide resources and shelter for unhoused people.
