Homelessness In Belfast Is Everyone’s Problem: Shame On Us!

When it comes to Northern Ireland and Belfast I’m fiercely patriotic – I genuinely love this place and am proud call this city my home.

But, every now and again, I am plunged into a deep sense of shame and disappointment in my city and my country.

The Stormont crisis is a classic example of that – but amazingly, on this occasion, this isn’t where my current irritation sits.

I recently became aware of a harrowing decision by Belfast City Council officials to remove public benches from an area in the city centre.

The “public space” at Jubilee Square is often used as a congregating point for some of the city’s homeless and most disadvantaged people.

Last week a council spokeswoman said the benches were removed as part of “general improvements and landscaping” which was supposed to “reduce any potential for anti-social behaviour and to discourage groups of people congregating in the area”.

I’ve a couple of issues with this statement:

1. In what dimension and time does this look like an “improvement” to an area?
2. Exactly what part of taking a chainsaw to a publicly paid for bench is deemed as “landscaping”?
3. Surely the point of a “public space”, that has at least 8-12 benches which can seat up to four or five people each, is to allow people to “congregate” or meet?
4. Do they actually believe that this will deter, end or “discourage” anti-social behaviour in the city?

I made contact with Belfast City Council myself.  I asked for their “official statement” and I asked a further 12 questions.  I received the statement, but at time of going to print I had not received the answers to any of my questions in relation to Jubilee Square.

Interestingly, the statement I received had no mention of “landscaping” or “general improvements”.

Attributed to “A Council spokeswoman” it read: “The benches at Jubilee Gardens have been removed as a measure to address concerns raised around anti-social behaviour and on-street drinking, and was not to target homeless community.

“Belfast City Council is committed, along with our city partners, to addressing the very complex issue of homelessness.

“Council wants the city’s homeless community to have appropriate accommodation and we work extensively with city partners to ensure support is provided to achieve that.

“Where people do not want to avail of such accommodation, other practical support is given – for example providing winter warmth packs and funding outreach work.”

Irrespective of whether or not the course of action was aimed at the homeless community who use the area, it did affect their lives.

What kind of society have we become that instead of ploughing resources into tackling the issues facing our city’s most disenfranchised people we treat them like animals?  I cannot even begin to comprehend the clearly illogical discussions that surrounded the course of action in which a council worker was despatched to take a chainsaw to these benches in the first place.

Just because someone’s life has been plunged into darkness and resulted in alcohol and/or drug addiction, mental health problems and/or homelessness doesn’t make them any less human.

Where did the Council officials, in their infinite wisdom, think these people would move on to?  Did they expect them to jump on a plane to another city in another country where they would be someone else’s problem?

Belfast campaigner and homeless advocate Micky Murray is horrified by the Council decision.  He’s quite rightly asking why no one stopped for a minute to ask how this decision would be viewed by the city’s homeless people?

“Where do people go during the day when they don’t have a home?” he said.

“Many of the people within the homeless community go to Jubilee Square and socialise, some of them have substance misuse issues, some of them don’t, some of them don’t even socialise, they sit there because there is other people there and they feel safe.

“Cutting away seating so that they cannot sit there doesn’t help to address the homelessness issue or any anti-social behaviour issues we have here, all it does it give the message to anyone homeless in Belfast that the Council don’t care.”

And although it has been claimed that local residents and businesses had complained about the homeless people’s use of the area, one woman is shocked and appalled by the Council decision.

Felicity McKee, who lives nearby said: “I feel this is a reflection on the Council and the lack of resources and care for the homeless generally. There are occasional mass outcries from the public, but rarely any lasting impact.

“This should be final wake up call for change to the general public and our politicians. To remove benches and force those who are most vulnerable in our society to sleep on the cold, frozen ground is a heartless act.”

The question now is whether this particular public outcry will be enough to do something about homelessness in Belfast?

Or when the festive feeling and Christmas spirit dissipates will the Belfast homeless community be once again forgotten?

Incidentally, I wonder what happened the wood?  Maybe they could light a fire with it in Jubilee Square to give the homeless people with nowhere to sit or sleep some comfort and heat in this bitter cold winter?

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