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Several street people were arrested last week following a violent confrontation with law enforcement officials on Sandown Road opposite West Coast Village during an operation held recently.
The attack took place in what is said to be a hotspot for street people setting up camp and begging at the robot.
The local Ward Councillor, Jonathan Mills, is calling on residents to end the handouts and irresponsible giving of food and items which fuel addiction and crime on which gangs depend.
“There is no dignified end to life on the street whether you are innocent or not – only disease, addiction and psychosis awaits in the long run.
“What we find is more and more gang members and former prisoners are living on our streets.
“They are the ones selling the drugs to the drug addicts. They are the ones who are also responsible for an increase in crime over the last five months, including some really serious violent crimes in our area,” Mills says.
He says the people living on the streets need help and need to address the criminals.
He says there are NGOs and NPOs that are offering assistance and have specific programmes.
“We even have an EPWP scheme where we collect people every day from the shelter near town and bring them back to the community so they can stay attached while they move through the steps and are processed by social development. That help is available,” Mills says.
“Please donate only to those you know personally or to charities like TLC working to get the homeless reintegrated back into society.
