What started as dine-in ended as takeout.
A group of 15 people marched inside the Reitz Union Food Court on Thursday afternoon, bearing Tupperware containers filled with hot dogs, mac 'n' cheese and granola. Members of Students for a Democratic Society drew a yellow tablecloth over a corner table, hoping to give out free homemade food to passersby.
"We hope to engage students in conversation about how we're not allowed to give out free food inside our own student center," said Fernando Figueroa, a UF sophomore.
The potluck protest wasn't meant to shut down a specific area of campus, said Richard Blake, a freshman involved with the group.
"We're trying to get the information out to students and show a bit of hypocrisy," Blake said before the group rallied inside.
Ryan Murray, a UF graduate student, liked the idea of "messing with the corporate scene."
"Maybe we should claim we're Hare Krishnas because they'll probably give us some trouble," Murray said, referring to Reitz Union administration.
Within five minutes of setting up, Mike Mironack, Reitz Union director of operations, interrupted the scene and asked the students to take their food outside to the Colonnade.
Because the group's food wasn't licensed under an Aramark food provider, it violated the Union's food service standards, Mironack said to the group.
"If it was a personal bag lunch, it'd be absolutely fine," he said in an interview afterward.
The group also violated UF's contract with Aramark by offering people food within the perimeters of the food court, he said.
"It's typical," said Tina Steiger, a political science senior. "There's nothing absurdly radical about what we did."
The group put up a 10-minute verbal fracas with Mironack, who asked the group four times to move outside with their grapefruit slices and peanut butter sandwiches.
"In situations like that, you have to ask yourself, 'How far should I take it?'" Steiger said.
About 10 feet away from the doors of the Union, the group set up their smorgasbord and invited passersby to a free lunch and conversation.
"We're trying to talk to people, and they're kicking us out like we're criminals," Figueroa said.
