Haha! You're so poor you have to pay a fine!
The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread. – Anatole France
A recent bill drafted by the Westminster city council is trying to outlaw lying down and/or sleeping in public places, distributing free food and drinks (unless for marketing purposes), and as an extension of not being allowed to sleep in public places, being homeless.
Westminster city council, the richest and most powerful council in the UK, is proposing a new bye-law to ban rough sleeping and “soup runs” in the Victoria area of London. The proposed new bye-law will make it an offence punishable by a fine to “sleep or lie down”, “deposit materials used as bedding” and to “give out, or permit another to give out, food for free”.
If these proposals are passed, they will also prohibit companies with a proud record of corporate social responsibility from doing good things. Companies like Pret a Manger, who have, very quietly, for many years, given away their unsold food to London’s homeless. If the Tories get their way, companies like Pret will be forced to throw the food in the bin.
If this isn’t straight up class war, I don’t know what is. Also, how do they plan to enforce fines on homeless people?
PS: The area affected by the law:
