Rough sleepers continue to harass, intimidate as council crackdown

ROUGH sleepers continue to harass and abuse members of the public as City of Melbourne crackdown on beggars. SEE THE PICTURES

A homeless man is arrested under the Princes Bridge in Melbourne. The man had been abusing passers by before the police were notified. Picture: Alex Coppel.

ROUGH sleepers continue to harass and abuse members of the public as the City of Melbourne crackdown on beggars.

It comes as another inner city council warned homeless people scared by tougher central city camping laws could move into neighbouring areas.

The Herald Sun witnessed an arrest in South Bank, near Princes Bridge, this week after a homeless man allegedly abused passer-bys before police were called.

It’s understood a woman notified police of the man’s aggressive behaviour before they stepped in.

Pictures show six police officers question the man before he was forced up against Princess Bridge and searched.

The man continued to be aggressive towards police forcing them to arrest him.

Officers forced the man in to the back of a divvy-van after he wouldn’t co-operate.

The homeless man is approached by police after abusing passers by. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Police officers question the man before he is forced up against Princess Bridge and searched. Picture: Alex Coppel

Police officers question the man before he is forced up against Princess Bridge and searched. Picture: Alex Coppel

The man is arrested under the Princes Bridge in Melbourne. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Officers surround the man as he becomes increasingly aggressive. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Officers surround the man as he becomes increasingly aggressive. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Officers force the man in to the back of a divvy-van after he continues to act violently. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Officers force the man in to the back of a divvy-van after he continues to act violently. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Victoria Police spokeswoman Natalie Webster a 43-year-old man would be charged on summons with assault offences, including assault police.

Yarra Council said that proposed bylaws by the City of Melbourne could also have serious safety implications for those sleeping rough as they retreated from public spaces.

The City of Yarra has joined Port Phillip and Monash councils in accusing Melbourne of trying to shift its homelessness problem into the suburbs.

The city council acted after a police request for anti-camping measures to be expanded amid a long-running homeless camp and protest outside Flinders St Station.

The proposed law includes bans on people leaving any item in a public place without a permit, and allows council officers to confiscate such items and return them if a fee is paid.

A motion put forward this week by Yarra Greens councillor Mike McEvoy said the changes cast homeless people as the problem “while doing nothing to address the root causes of homelessness”.

“If the fear generated by the proposal drives people away from the public realm, serious safety implications may arise (and) there may be a displacement effect, impacting neighbouring municipalities,” it said.

Last month, Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said that council officers would not be targeting people in the middle of the night and ordering them to move on.

“There is no intention to push people out of the CBD,” he said.

Cr Doyle said city camps were unacceptable, but the council would consider suggestions such as providing the homeless with lockers, safe spaces and a drop-in centre.

Yarra will make a submission to Melbourne’s planned local law changes and offer to work with the city council to “share best practice for more compassionate responses to people experiencing homelessness”.

It also wants to co-operate with Melbourne to lobby state and federal governments to address the root causes of homelessness.