Lemonade stand defended by anarchists in Portland, Oregon

Updated
Lemonade stand defended by anarchists in Portland, Oregon
Lemonade stand defended by anarchists in Portland, Oregon

It's lucky that Julie Murphy and her mom, Maria Fife, set up a lemonade stand at Portland, Oregon's Last Thursday art walk, right next to the anarchists. Because when the Multnomah County Health Department officials came through cracking down on lemonade stands and other fly-by-afternoon "food establishments" wildly flouting the rules requiring a $120 temporary restaurant license, they told Julie and Maria to stay put. Their idea: slightly alter the sign to read "free Lemonade, 50-cents --- suggested donation." As fond as anarchists are of flouting arbitrary government rules, they encouraged the crowd walking past to support Julie's stand.

A little boy across the funky Alberta Street caved, packing up after being threatened with the same $500 fine as the 7-year-old girl. As Portland's food scene has been described as very DIY and local, it's sure there were other lemonade stands also shut down that day. But Julie may have been the only one to hold her ground, until two health inspectors came back to confront the lawbreakers.

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