Mayor Launches Crackdown On “Professional” Beggars
Joe Anderson, the mayor of Liverpool, has told council officers, the police and homeless charities to take action against people who, he says, are travelling into the city from other areas to beg for money. He also wants to tackle the issue of people who already have homes or are refusing accommodation because they want to stay on the streets and beg.
Speaking in the Liverpool Echo, Mr. Anderson said: “Our latest figures show that in December there were 124 people begging in the city centre and only 12 of those were rough sleepers – the rest actually had homes. Every day people criticise the council for not tackling beggars but also for not tackling homelessness – often these people are not homeless.”
“We have a statutory duty to provide support and accommodation for the homeless and we do, but some people don’t want a home and some have one already.”
The council said the information has been collected with the help of homeless and housing charity the Whitechapel Centre, which it supports in its regular work on the streets of Liverpool.
However, David Carter, the chief executive of the Whitechapel Centre, said it is important to remember that there are many rough sleepers who don’t choose to beg. He said: “That number of 12 people is not all the rough sleepers in the city centre, there are other rough sleepers – but most aren’t begging.”
“The begging problem is happening for a number of different reasons – this includes organised begging by criminal groups, we have evidence of this taking place. The people being abused by these groups are victims themselves and it is very sad to see.”
He added: “The police can take action against these groups and that is what we want to see. We have all got a role to play in giving people options and changing behaviours.”
But news of the ‘crackdown’ has caused a heated debate on social media.
Posting on Facebook, Amy Wright said: “Not all these beggars are vulnerable and deffo not genuine. Those who are vulnerable and are in need don’t sit on corners all day everyday, they also utilise the help available.”
Another post, from John Gunning, agreed: “I can’t see how the genuinely vulnerable will be targeted, the many scam artists will be weeded out. People need to realise there’s a difference between begging, rough sleeping, and homelessness. I’m with the Mayor on this one.”
Others shared their personal experiences with beggars. Victoria Emma Gillard wrote: “We’ve had beggars coming into KFC asking us for money while we eat. I hate judging people and assuming things, but they were very persistent that we had to give them something. As soon as they got what little change we had, they hastily walked off without saying thank you.”
But not everyone agreed with Mayor Anderson’s approach. Chris Driscoll said: “Just another waste of council tax money, open more shelters for the homeless instead, uncle Joey.”
Nick Fischer posted: “So he won’t open up the unused buildings but instead he’ll go round and attack those living in the streets? What a compassionate human being he is! Let’s not kid ourselves, this action won’t just stop that tiny, tiny minority that beg when they don’t need to, this will affect the already vulnerable people suffering with mental health issues who are on the streets.”
Michelle Langan, a Liverpool writer and homeless campaigner, questioned whether organised gangs are behind some of the begging in the city. She wrote on Twitter: “We see a lot of regular people at night, none of whom are ‘organised gangs,’ so unsure where this originates. The simple solution would be for those in charge to take to the streets and see with their own eyes.”
It remains to be seen whether this new ‘crackdown’ will solve the problem or just drive the homeless further into the shadows.
