What are people's thoughts on the latest stories about 'homeless spikes'

[EnglishRose1320]

www.channel4.com/news/londons-anti-homeless-spikes-criticised

www.telegraph.co.uk/property/propertynews/10883541/Homeless-spikes-installed-outside-London-flats.html

Surely there are much better ways to deal with this, helping and supporting them for a start?

Maybe. Maybe not.
But the homeless tend to be in towns and cities. Where there are thousands of doorways.

If all doorways were done like in the op, then there would be a bit of a problem. But that is not going to happen is it?

Realise I sound a bit harsh, but I am not idealistic and 20 anymore.

That is fair enough Quivering.

I thought it was a hoax when I first saw the pictures. There's a petition and I've signed it because I think it's a horrible and cruel way to treat your fellow human.

I see the other side too though and understand it must be intimidating if this happens where you live.

The problem must be tackled but this method is nothing more than throwing a bucket of cold water over someone.

Most homeless shelters charge about £10 a night. And many are dormitories where other guests may at best all snore, at worst steal from or assault you. Risk worth taking in winter maybe, in summer not so much.
And most shelters don't take dogs, some won't take anyone under the influence, others are scary if you are sober, hardly anywhere will take a couple. And if the nearest shelter with a space is somewhere you don't k ow about, or a few miles away, or scares you because it's the Salvation Army and you're gay, or many other reasons, people will choose the street as a better alternative.

ppplease surely it does open the way for more being put down if it is deemed acceptable, no I doubt all doorways would end up using spikes (I would certainly like to think not!) but equally if no ones complained about them I think we could see a lot more around. For instance in other countries they have them under road bridges so the homeless can't sleep there- which is just horrible imho

Here are some examples of spikes in other places :(

aattp.org/homeless-spikes-popping-up-all-over-the-world-oligarchs-rejoice/

hmm. Pausing to think.

Sorry, i think it's just awful, especially when used in a non-residential area particularly.

They have a fucking doorway to sleep in - and that's the only bit of comfort or shelter they have.

And that's being taking away from them. Surely being given the 'privelage' to curl up and sleep with the smallest amount of shelter from the elements isn't too much to ask for?

Spikes look quite bizarre, but most places instead have gates, fences, security, etc. -- nobody says its inhumane.
I think people would not mind rough sleepers that much, if they did not litter and defecate in the same place.

I think like most stereotypes the minority are depicted to make the majority look bad- I have come across a fair number of homeless people and the majority were polite and thankful

From the 'Black Triangle' Facebook page

Direct Action has begun against Homeless spikes From Vice.com ACTIVISTS POURED CONCRETE ALL OVER 'ANTI-#HOMELESS' SPIKES THIS MORNING

"They were all carrying buckets, which I soon found out were full of concrete. Tipping the containers all over the spikes, the stuff inside landed with a messy thud on the ledge. The activists then tried to spread the concrete out with some wooden slats, but it looked a little thick and wasn't really budging.

When they dashed down a side street, I caught up and asked one what exactly they were doing. They explained that they were trying to drown the spikes in concrete, rendering the ledge non-spikey. “These [spikes] are in places where people are trying to find a cosy, less wet place to put their head down,” one said. “These are places that the underclass rely on. We give [Tesco] our money and this is how they treat us.”

“Homeless people are some of the most vulnerable people in society with the Tories’ austerity programme,” added another activist. “They’ve cut Shelter’s funding. Crisis are in crisis. There’s more people on the street, more people using food banks – and you have businesses installing anti-homeless spikes. It’s a really degrading way to treat human beings.”

CLASSES have all sorts of ways of keeping themselves seperate That is what CLASS does

Just remembered GATED houses are a classic example.