Essential Edinburgh (http://www.essentialedinburgh.co.uk/) which runs the city-centre business improvement district – is set to launch a petition prohibiting begging from the commercial heart of the Capital after complaints by traders and tourists (http://www.scotsman.com/news/call-to-ban-beggars-from-edinburgh-city-centre-1-2855990).

This move would serve simply to criminalise some of the most vulnerable of those living in Edinburgh. Those who cannot even afford that basic human right of shelter.

Edinburgh City Council has said complaints about begging were “low”, with police and community safety officers tackling incidents of aggressive begging. A petition with more than 500 signatures – or 20 businesses on the valuation roll – would spark a council review.

So clearly we need to get more than 500 people (or 20 businesses) to sign this to express our distaste with Essential Edinburgh proposed petition and perhaps goad them into looking at a more workable and ethical solution to the problem of homelessness and begging.

Criminalisation of street-begging will simpy exacerbate the problem.

You can support the charities who work to help the homeless in Edinburgh via their websites: http://www.streetwork.org.uk/
http://www.cyrenians.org.uk/