Star date: 18th July 2015

CITY CENTRE BAN COULD CRIMINALISE THE HOMELESS

Next Tuesday, Manchester City Council is going to court seeking injunctions which would ban Homeless Camp residents from anywhere in the city centre for a period of two years... "My concern is that this draconian order would result in a homeless person facing the threat of prison simply for being homeless" says solicitor Ben Taylor who is acting for the Camps.

Today a protest rally was held in Piccadilly Gardens, urging Camp supporters to demonstrate outside the Manchester Civil Justice Centre next Tuesday.

Full details here...

For almost four months, homeless people from Salford and Manchester have been sheltering in camps spread around Manchester city centre, firstly for safety and secondly as a protest against their plight.

The Camps' residents have fought off various court attempts to evict them by Manchester City Council but on Tuesday, the Council is going to court for the third time seeking injunctions which would ban camp residents from anywhere in the city centre for a period of two years. And the move has been condemned as a `draconian' attempt to criminalise the homeless by solicitor Ben Taylor, who has been acting for the overwhelmingly young camp residents...

"Manchester City Council has applied for injunction orders against 'persons unknown' preventing them from 'erecting and/or occupying tents or other temporary forms of accommodation within Manchester City Centre without Manchester City Council's consent for a period of two years" he says

"This means that if any one of those persons fails to comply with the order they will be in contempt of court and could face a term of imprisonment of any period up to two years and/or receive a £5,000 fine" he explains

"My concern is that this draconian order would result in a homeless person facing the threat of prison simply for being homeless" he adds "It is not clear what 'other temporary forms of occupation' means but it could arguably even include a sleeping bag. This does not address the homeless problem that this city is facing but instead simply punishes those who find themselves at the bottom rung of society."

This afternoon, a protest rally at Piccadilly Gardens heard speakers condemn the action and urge people to demonstrate outside the Manchester Civil Justice Centre next Tuesday.

One homeless man asked the rally "Nothing's changed...Why hasn't it changed? I'm sick of it. Do you know what it's like not to have a home? It's a basic living necessity to have a roof over your head and if you don't give it us we're going to take it."

And George, who used to be homeless, told how he used to sleep on the streets of Manchester as a young man... "I was scared I was frightened and I was hungry" he recalled "I stand here today on behalf of the homeless people who are still here today to fight this eviction...We have a duty to look after them but we are failing them totally and miserably, their human rights are being denied. They feel unsafe in their own city, every day and every night."

Protest
Tuesday July 21st 9.30am:
Manchester Civil Justice Centre,
1 Bridge Street West

Main photo shows George speaking at the rally