Police swoop on the homeless taking sleeping bags and food parcels in co-ordinated raids in Redbridg

reply to post by destination now


As someone whom was made homeless through fraud and identity theft that was perpetrated against my mother I do know and yes but as I said there were already a growing number of BRITISH homeless before the open borders policy, In Ormskirk an affluent Lancashire town were I live there used to be a regular site of an English man selling the big issue magazine then in came the Romanian beggars one of whom now stands in his spot selling the big issue, on one occasion I witnessed a Romanian beggar outside marks and spencer whom was later moved on and one outside the town centre morrisons as well further up the high street, they were organised and a gang leader wearing an expensive leather jacket was going between them collecting the money they had made, I can only assume the English man was beaten or warned off by these not real homeless imports but that is not what this thread is about. Still you have certainly made a very good point.

Thanks OP for shedding some light on the plight of the homeless. I live in Colorado and I am amazed at the number of abandoned homes and property that could be used to house homeless.Sadly there is no monetary profit in helping these people.

Originally posted by TruthxIsxInxThexMist

Originally posted by Lady_Tuatha
reply to post by TruthxIsxInxThexMist

 

I am pretty sure that not all the homeless people in the UK are immigrants. There is plenty of English homeless people, have you no sympathy for them?

This Thread is about a Polish guy who obviously came over here for something better than Life on the streets!

Any Englishman who is on the streets does have it bad of course.... the question is, how did they become Homeless?

There are many reasons I guess but he/she should have made sure they had a back-up plan like being on a Council Housing List! At least they would have received Temporary Housing.

I was homeless myself for a 2 year period. It was not something I wanted. I am not sure where you came up with your angle but the article clearly sates that several homeless where harassed and robbed( Try taking someones personal possessions without a badge and see what happens) not just the guy who decided to be interviewed.

reply to post by LABTECH767


I can understand your predicament and hope that things are better for you now, but this is why I made the point I did, this story is about a Polish homeless man claiming the police took his sleeping bag and food..personally I have never heard of this happening to homeless people in the UK,

But I do know that homeless people in the UK are being further disenfranchised by people migrating from Eastern Europe and hounding them out of their one and only hope of clawing their way out of their situation and that is horrible...they did not need to come to the UK to be homeless..sadly the people who were born here and find themselves in this dreadful situation do not have the luxury of going to another country to try and better themselves...

And lets face it, there is no other country in the world that would give the benefits to incomers that the UK does..and don't bother with the "well you invaded all these countries and it's payback" crap..we have never invaded Eastern Europe (the Italians and the Germans can take the blame for that and I think throughout history they have paid their dues for that

And, of course, if that it is the case that invading aggressors are ultimately forced to pay for their transgressions, then I cannot wait to see the downfall of the US...a young country in the scheme of things, but building up the so-called negative "Karma" points at an alarming rate...

ETA the bit about invading countries was not aimed at the poster I was replying to but the ones who would say "well you deserved it" I understand the poster I was replying to was not claiming this..

reply to post by LABTECH767


Just one other thing though, in a previous post you mention about Thatcher selling off the council houses...One question, who bought them? Yup, the Labour voting tenants, who then sold them on a big profit to the private landlords..you can't really blame Thatcher for that, just greed of the individuals who bought their subsidised homes at a fraction of the cost..she was responsible for a lot of tough choices in the UK, but the reason she was so successful at it was because so may people embraced her policies to better themselves..

Originally posted by destination now
So no one cares that the indigenous homeless are being exploited by immigrants who claim to be homeless and taking the very scarce and precious resources away from them...

"Oh I didn't know about that" is not an excuse, I provided a link, and then maybe understand why some posters are not overly concerned about the fact that homeless immigrants are being discouraged from sleeping rough in this country and that a bit of research prior to coming to the UK may be advisable to prevent being homeless here as there is an indigenous problem, which is only becoming worse by increasing the numbers.

How do we know that the individual involved hadn't taken these items from someone else? Do we have links to stories from other homeless people in the UK who have had the police do this? Where were they from? Do they have witnesses?

Nope, just another PC knee jerk reaction here on ATS, where those who believe they have the moral high ground, will sit in judgment of those who have a different viewpoint

Um sorry but this is not what this thread is about. Maybe you should make a thread about it if you feel so strongly? ' Foreign immigrants exploiting the homeless'

And it does say in my post that the homeless man got the sleeping bag from the salvation army, there is a quote from the salvation army officer saying that. Whats interesting is your kneejerk reaction to automatically put blame to the immigrants.

Once again, this thread is about the police forces action against homeless people.

reply to post by Lady_Tuatha


Well can you quote me other cases where this has happened to other homeless people in the UK apart from this one Polish man?

reply to post by Lady_Tuatha


Oh and the Salvation Army spokesman only said this was dreadful if it had happened, not that he had personally given this man the items, that he wastrying to find out from the police what had happened to the items..no news on that it seems

reply to post by destination now


Well I havent looked. Maybe it has happened before, maybe it hasnt, who knows? It does'nt change the fact that it has happened

Or are you trying to say that it is an elaborate lie by the evil foreigners? lol.

The police chief has admitted to it tho. Have you even read the article?

reply to post by Lady_Tuatha


Look, if he actually did get the sleeping bag from the Salvation Army, then yes, it is pretty bad what the Police did.... to take it back but as I have said before.... what is he doing on the streets? He didn't Travel here to live on the streets, surely?? He could have done that back in Poland! If he got kicked out from where was living, why didn't he go back to Poland where he may have Family?

reply to post by destination now


Yet again, please read the news article.

He was not the only person the police targeted, he was in a group, 9 in total I believe.

reply to post by destination now


I was homeless as a child and am not now, I agree with your comment but such as yours are valuable as they open up debate so thank you, you are correct about the tenants but Mrs T and later Blair did not promote the necessary new house building and with the loss of revenue in the form of rents that the council's were able to use on other services the sell off was over all detrimental in most area's though house owners usually make a more respectable area to live than tenant's.

Originally posted by TruthxIsxInxThexMist
reply to post by Lady_Tuatha

 

Look, if he actually did get the sleeping bag from the Salvation Army, then yes, it is pretty bad what the Police did.... to take it back but as I have said before.... what is he doing on the streets? He didn't Travel here to live on the streets, surely?? He could have done that back in Poland! If he got kicked out from where was living, why didn't he go back to Poland where he may have Family?

I know about as much as you as to this mans personal reasons for being on the streets.

All I do know is that I feel it was very wrong for the police to take what little these people had away from them. To steal men's sleeping bags ffs. It's disgusting.

reply to post by Lady_Tuatha

Yes, I read the article can you point out where it says 9...I only see the word "others" who have not complained and as for the police admitting it the chief inspector say this

Ilford Ch Insp John Fish said: “The public rely on police to reduce the negative impact of rough sleepers, this includes the need for us to assist in the removal of temporary structures, tents, and bedding from public spaces and other inappropriate locations

What are the negative impacts? Have there been complaints made by locals? Inappropriate? Perhaps their own safety was in the balance.

Sorry, but unless you can quote me more than one source for the police "stealing the homeless people's sleeping bags and food" then I would suggest that this is not a pervasive issue, rather a one-off, which may have many other reasons behind it.

Originally posted by Trueman


Your country-empire invaded so many countries for centuries, karma is a b1tch.

I'm sure the Mexicans agree :-)

Originally posted by destination now
reply to post by Lady_Tuatha

 

Yes, I read the article can you point out where it says 9...I only see the word "others" who have not complained and as for the police admitting it the chief inspector say this

Ilford Ch Insp John Fish said: “The public rely on police to reduce the negative impact of rough sleepers, this includes the need for us to assist in the removal of temporary structures, tents, and bedding from public spaces and other inappropriate locations

What are the negative impacts? Have there been complaints made by locals? Inappropriate? Perhaps their own safety was in the balance.

Sorry, but unless you can quote me more than one source for the police "stealing the homeless people's sleeping bags and food" then I would suggest that this is not a pervasive issue, rather a one-off, which may have many other reasons behind it.

Adam Jaskowiak was one of the men targeted and said he pleaded with police to be able to keep his things but was ignored. He was sleeping with eight other people finding shelter for the night in the former Ilford Baths in High Road, Ilford. All of their belongings were bundled into a police car leaving the men, one in his 60s, stunned

There you go. He was with eight other people, which including him, makes nine.

All I know is what i read in the article, everything else would be surmising.

UPDATE!!!

Redbridge Police issue statement on confiscation of homeless sleeping bags -

The statement from borough commander Det Ch Supt Sue Williams denies that police had taken the items during the operation on May 15, but admits Redbridge Council Streetscene workers removed “discarded, soiled items that were a danger to health”.

The police version of events -

In the statement sent to the Recorder late last night Mrs Williams said a local school had raised concerns for their pupils and allowed police into a disused swimming pool in High Road, Ilford to “remove trespassers”. She added: “Police entered and a man and a woman, who are not as named in the Ilford Recorder article, were found. Police spoke with them and they left with their sleeping bags and personal possessions. No items were seized by police. Local authority staff cleared up drug paraphernalia, a soiled gym mattress, rotting food and other rubbish from the location.”

The article goes on to say that the 'Recorder' stands by its original article -

The Recorder stands by its original article, which was verified by two charity officials, with editor Chris Carter criticising the police for not clarifying the situation sooner. “We are happy to publish the statement from Mrs Williams, but are disappointed with the poor level of communication from Redbridge police. Reporter Amanda Nunn made strenuous efforts to uncover the truth of what happened, putting an inquiry to a senior officer, but had to wait three days before a generic statement was issued. “Nowhere in that statement did police deny that the incident had taken place and indeed it was admitted that police policy included ‘the need to assist in the removal of temporary structures, tents, and bedding from public spaces and other inappropriate locations’. “We understand the need to keep the streets safe and clean but believe the major problem with homeless street people in Redbridge demands sensitive handling by professional people.” The Recorder has spoken to both officials from the charities who verified the details of the incident and an article will follow later this morning. Redbridge Council was contacted at the time of the original article but have yet to respond.

Well this is interesting. Are the police telling the truth? If so then why did they not deny taking the sleeping bags and food in their first statement? It would have been much easier than having it all unfold in the papers.


Link

reply to post by Lady_Tuatha


Okay, apologies, I missed that, but I stand by my comments, no one else has complained, and I have never heard of this happening elsewhere, though I have heard plenty about Eastern Europeans who have migrated to the UK and have muscled their way into the indigenous homeless community and have subsequently made a good living from it, whilst still claiming to be homeless and gaining sympathy for it, whilst the indigenous homeless suffer.

But seriously, show me more cases of this, not from immigrants, but from people who have sadly become homeless after living in this country all of their lives and their only crime is being homeless, no theft, harassment or other issues, who suffer this same treatment, then feel free to post the link and I will apologise wholeheartedly.

Originally posted by destination now
reply to post by Lady_Tuatha

 

Okay, apologies, I missed that, but I stand by my comments, no one else has complained, and I have never heard of this happening elsewhere, though I have heard plenty about Eastern Europeans who have migrated to the UK and have muscled their way into the indigenous homeless community and have subsequently made a good living from it, whilst still claiming to be homeless and gaining sympathy for it, whilst the indigenous homeless suffer.

But seriously, show me more cases of this, not from immigrants, but from people who have sadly become homeless after living in this country all of their lives and their only crime is being homeless, no theft, harassment or other issues, who suffer this same treatment, then feel free to post the link and I will apologise wholeheartedly.

Read my above post, there is a chance this entire escapade was fabricated by the homeless man as you earlier implied. The recorder still stands by the original article though. Ah I dont know anymore It is very likely that the police are telling the truth, if so it was very stupid of them to not deny taking the sleeping bags and food in the original statement they gave to the reporter.

reply to post by Lady_Tuatha


Well police statements are known for being generalisations and they probably took the stuff that the people left as evidence (though they did not pursue prosecution, so in fact they've done these people a favour

But from what I can extrapolate from your update, the police acted correctly and the people left of their own volition and then decided to go and bad mouth the police to the press..

reply to post by stirling


OMG, almost everyone in the US and other countries have a bit of brit in them, hardly dying out. As far as the homeless go, something has to give and it is not going to be pretty no mater what the resolution. I think about that movie Children of Men where walls are built to keep the poor in. That will be the future if we continue on as we are.

I was watching a Twilight Zone or Alfred Hitchcock the other night were they made mention of all the people in the world at that time and they said something like 500 million. I thought could that be right? I mean we are growing so fast and intelligence nor compassion are able to keep up.