Protest against bullying of homeless people

THE council, local business and police want people on the streets to face even more aggressive policing. On social media, resi- dents regularly report police bullying homeless people. Vulnerable people facing a daily struggle to survive are being pushed to the edge. Meanwhile, FOR Cardiff, a business consortium, are funding two police officers to police the homeless.

Grassroots groups distributing free food are being moved on from the city centre by Cardiff Council. Homelessness has surged as austerity bites. Food provided by volunteers is one of few small comforts many can look forward to – as the weather gets colder a hot meal literally could be life-saving. Volunteers should be supported and applauded, not be treated like a nuisance and shoved off.

Cardiff Council’s Give DIFFerently programme to get people to not give directly to street people and instead donate has been slammed by Crisis and Shelter Cymru as not helping those in most need and encouraging hostility to homeless people.

Councillors’ victim blaming, implying rough sleeping is a lifestyle choice, ignore complex reasons why some are not taking up existing support. This rhetoric diverts from solutions.

As the government shreds safety nets the shrinking welfare state is replaced by a ‘punishing state’ for those falling through the cracks: People with problems in need of society’s protection are now treated as problem – people threatening society. Extreme poverty must not be reduced to an anti-social behaviour issue.

On Thursday October 25 at 3.30 pm we are protesting at City Hall. Poor people will no longer be invisible in our city: We need a war on poverty, not a war on the poor!

Adam Johannes Cardiff People’s Assembly

Grassroots groups distributing free food are being moved on from the city centre Adam Johannes