Huge Backlash Over 'Hateful' Council Anti-Begging Campaign

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A local city council in the UK has come under fire for an anti-begging campaign warning members of the public that any money they give away could potentially contribute to fraud or feed addictions.

Nottinghamshire City Council’s #givesmart campaign was launched in March, with the aim of urging the public not to give money to people begging on the streets.

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Concerned that money given to those begging is used to feed addictions, the council claims to have launched the campaign to encourage the public to give their cash to homeless charities, instead. The campaign has been branded ‘shocking’, ‘disgusting’ and ‘utterly reprehensible’.

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The Anti Media reports:

Nottingham’s council implemented the campaign by displaying a number of large posters throughout the city that contain bigoted and hateful slogans. Claiming “beggars are not what they seem,” they portray a young man in a hat and photographs of cans of ‘strong’ lager. They contain slogans stating, “Begging: Watch Your Money Go To A Fraud,” or “Begging: Watch your money go up in smoke,” and even “Begging funds the misuse of drugs.”

Clearly not everyone who begs is homeless, and not all homeless people beg, but it is without doubt that those sitting for hours on Britain’s streets in freezing temperatures are some of society’s most vulnerable. However, it seems the leader of Nottingham City Council, Councillor Jon Collins, disagrees. When announcing the launch of #givesmart, he told the Nottingham Post: “These professional beggars can make up to £800 a day and have in the past waved notes in front of officers.”

After succeeding in labelling and stereotyping those forced to beg on the streets of the U.K. as addicts and alcoholics, the stigmatising ad campaign has provoked uproar with the public — most of whom are perfectly capable of choosing how they spend their money. Unsurprisingly, the sound of a slow hand clap for Nottingham City Council has rippled across Twitter, with users demanding answers and using the #givesmart hashtag to express their outrage.

The #givesmart campaign against the homeless and those who beg is disgraceful. Join the protest against it if you… https://t.co/bN0ReswTy6

— Notts Young Greens (@NottsYGreens) March 25, 2016

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@MyNottingham the #givesmart campaign stigmatises the #homeless and shows appalling policy towards the vulnerable in your city!

— Cath Mattos (@Cathos1) March 25, 2016

Those #givesmart posters piss me off. Homeless people are people too. #Nottingham

— Minotour de France (@SmallTownBrows) March 24, 2016

Unbelievable #givesmart campaign – just shows the lack of understanding or compassion for the homeless is growing. https://t.co/swzkMwXQil

— V (@green_decision) March 24, 2016

Wasting public money on a targeted campaign of hateful and hysteria-baiting, authoritarian bullshit. #givesmart https://t.co/C5byP4KYjB

— Pete McCats (@thisisnotawar) March 23, 2016

How much is this vile and slanderous hate campaign costing @MyNottingham #GiveSmart #OpPayBack #OpSafeWinter pic.twitter.com/3TzU87Rwlt

— Rick Rolls (@R1ckR0llS) March 21, 2016