"Anti-Homeless Studs" in a London Doorway

[Zaune]

Pictures taken by a Twitter user called "Ethical Pioneer"

The Guardian

Metal studs have been installed outside a block of flats in central London to deter rough sleepers.

The installation of the studs outside the flats on Southwark Bridge Road provoked widespread condemnation on Twitter with users claiming homeless people were being treated like vermin because similar metal spikes are used to deter pigeons.

Residents told the Telegraph that the studs were installed outside the flats in the last month to prevent homeless people from sleeping in the doorway.

A woman who lives in the block told the newspaper: "There was a homeless man asleep there about six weeks ago. Then about two weeks ago all of a sudden studs were put up outside. I presume it is to deter homeless people from sleeping there."

A couple, who also asked to remain anonymous, added: "It's because of the homeless. The spikes have only been there very recently, less than a month."

Andrew Horton, 33, of Woking, Surrey, took the picture of the inch-long studs in as he walked to work on Wednesday. The photograph has since been widely shared on Twitter, provoking outrage.

Other Twitter users also posted a photograph of similar studs outside a Tesco in Regent Street.

David Wells said on Twitter: "These anti-homeless studs are like the spikes they use to keep pigeons off buildings. The destitute now considered vermin [sic].

Homelessness charities said metal studs had been used to deter rough sleepers for more than a decade.

Katharine Sacks-Jones, head of policy and campaigns at Crisis, said: "This is happening in a context where rough sleeping has gone up massively. Over the last three years rough sleeping has risen by 36% nationally and by 75% in London. More than 6,400 people slept rough in London last year."

"The reason for that increase is the continuing economic downturn, the housing shortage, and cuts to benefits, particularly housing benefit."

Now, in fairness I should point out that there's been no official confirmation of what the studs are actually for, so there might be an innocent explanation. I'm struggling to think what that innocent explanation might be, however.

But if it is true, what kind of moustache-twirling parody of a dystopian cyberpunk antagonist thought this was a reasonable course of action?

[Thanas]

This is pretty stupid nonetheless - which idiot intentionally puts a safety risk near the doorway? It's all fun and games until the first rich asshole slips on ice and has his face meet the studs. Or, god forbid, some child falls on them.

[Siege]

Even if you want to deter the homeless... What monumental idiot decides to put down metal studs that scream 'I'm a rich asshole! Give me all your negative PR!' instead of something innoccuous enough to be plausibly deniable like a concrete flowerbed?

[Purple]

Even if you want to deter the homeless... What monumental idiot decides to put down metal studs that scream 'I'm a rich asshole! Give me all your negative PR!' instead of something innoccuous enough to be plausibly deniable like a concrete flowerbed?

Maybe they figured the homeless would just urinate into the flowerbed before ripping the flowers out and sleeping in the dirt?

[Raw Shark]

Just throwing this out there without much consideration, but what about a low-key audial warning followed by a light spray of diffused water every 90-300 seconds, like in the produce aisle at the grocery store? Won't actually injure anybody (unless it's like -30F out maybe), but nobody will want to sleep there...

[InsaneTD]

Cause that would be clever and would cause kids to play in the doorway during winter when the "snow machine" sprays. Can't put in something that could potentially be fun.

[Grumman]

The owners of the building do have a legitimate basis for not wanting people to sleep where they might obstruct the door, but they really should have done this in a classier manner. Something like anti-slip grating would presumably serve the same purpose, as well as making the doorway safer instead of being flanked by cringe-inducing spikes.

[Lost Soal]

"Let me just get that door for you"
"Aghh, my foot, I'm suing!"

So what, another month, two tops?

[Raw Shark]

Cause that would be clever and would cause kids to play in the doorway during winter when the "snow machine" sprays. Can't put in something that could potentially be fun.

I don't know, I'd readily presume that a few grubby kids joyously stomping around in the vestibule would be far less of a PR failure than a homeless person or two that have to be stepped over in order to do business, to most of the disposable-income-havin' public, and the two are somewhat mutually-exclusive.

[Zaune]

I don't know, I'd readily presume that a few grubby kids joyously stomping around in the vestibule would be far less of a PR failure than a homeless person or two that have to be stepped over in order to do business, to most of the disposable-income-havin' public, and the two are somewhat mutually-exclusive.

You'd be surprised. Local residents would probably call the police and demand the kids be given ASBOs or something.

[Dartzap]

I had a brief moment of madness where they may have been used to keep a secure bin from tipping over. Very briefly.

Maybe they need some of those 'Mosquito' high pitched things which train stations have - gets rid of teenagers and cats effectively.

[Starglider]

But if it is true, what kind of moustache-twirling parody of a dystopian cyberpunk antagonist thought this was a reasonable course of action?

You know I was just thinking 'neat idea, although would need appropriate legal cover' then I scrolled down to your comment...

[Zaune]

You would.

[Zixinus]

I guess it's a rather mean way mechanical way to prevent homeless people resting there.

I am actually wondering other mechanical alternatives that would be less mean. A partial pipe going across (except where the door would open) would make lying down there uncomfortable. Maybe make a sort of pseudo-table or basket. The excuse then could be either a general-use table or a basket for collecting advert-papers in.

[Zaune]

Or you could just, you know, let some poor bastard hole up in there out of the worst of the weather unless they're actively making a nuisance of themselves by shooting up or hassling people for change or something.

I know it's too much to hope for that some local resident might see a homeless person in that scenario and offer some small gesture of kindness like Googling directions to a shelter for them or maybe offering a cup of tea, but surely there's no call to be outright kicking them when they're down, you know?

[Venator]

Or you could just, you know, let some poor bastard hole up in there out of the worst of the weather unless they're actively making a nuisance of themselves by shooting up or hassling people for change or something.

Well yeah, but that would require a modicum of human decency. Anyone who actually approved the spike thing clearly lacks enough to even consider a more humane option.

If they're going for 'area denial' in a way that avoids liability and kids having 'fun' on it, the most straightforward thing that comes to my mind is simply bricking in a sloping extra wall section - something that went up four feet and slopes on a 45-degree angle just looks like another part of the wall but is impossible to sleep or even comfortably recline on.

[General Zod]

Or you could just, you know, let some poor bastard hole up in there out of the worst of the weather unless they're actively making a nuisance of themselves by shooting up or hassling people for change or something.

I know it's too much to hope for that some local resident might see a homeless person in that scenario and offer some small gesture of kindness like Googling directions to a shelter for them or maybe offering a cup of tea, but surely there's no call to be outright kicking them when they're down, you know?

It's a legitimate safety concern. I dunno about you, but if I were a 20 something year old woman I'd be really uncomfortable about a homeless guy sleeping right in front of my building's doorway. They could probably handle it better without using spikes, but saying there's no problem is a bit naive.

[Zaune]

So there's an automatic correlation between being homeless and being a potential rapist, is there?

EDIT: Sorry, didn't mean to snap. But stereotypes about the homeless are a bit of a sore subject for me.

[General Zod]

So there's an automatic correlation between being homeless and being a potential rapist, is there?

EDIT: Sorry, didn't mean to snap. But stereotypes about the homeless are a bit of a sore subject for me.

So you're saying it's not a legitimate concern to be nervous about some stranger sleeping in your building's doorway? Maybe he's not a rapist; maybe he's casing out the building to see who comes and goes so he can rob the place blind. Maybe he's pushing drugs. Maybe he's coming off a high and couldn't find his way to his own house. Maybe he's legitimately just hard up, but I can't imagine too many people willing to actually take that kind of a risk.

What about the apartment building owners? As soon as someone gets hurt by one of these homeless guys shit's going to hit the fan and guess who's going to be held responsible?

[cosmicalstorm]

Only noteworthy because of the idiot decision to put in nails. There must be a thousand way to make it impossible to sleep there other than this pigeon-scare.

[Zixinus]

Or you could just, you know, let some poor bastard hole up in there out of the worst of the weather unless they're actively making a nuisance of themselves by shooting up or hassling people for change or something.

Not if I am a landlord that wants to prevent homeless people potentially blocking doors and traffic. As an individual I may be inclined to give them a brake, but as a landlord it is my responsibility to keep everything in order. This includes getting rid of strangers that have no business being on the premises.

I know it's too much to hope for that some local resident might see a homeless person in that scenario and offer some small gesture of kindness like Googling directions to a shelter for them or maybe offering a cup of tea, but surely there's no call to be outright kicking them when they're down, you know?

Of course not, but this isn't so much about kicking them down more but to make it clear where they shouldn't be or aren't welcome.

As unnecessarily mean as the spikes are, it is still better than constantly having to get a homeless person out through force.

[Borgholio]

If they really want to keep homeless people out of there, I don't see why they can't put a small planter or something there. From a purely aesthetic standpoint, those spikes are ugly as shit...some potted plants would look much nicer. From a moral standpoint, homeless are being treated as vermin which is only making their problems worse. From a legal standpoint...a 1" spike would put a kid's eye out very easily.

All in all, bad idea.

[streetad]

I'm not sure I see the moral difference between this and other methods of making people not want to stick around such as the 'mosquito machines'.

The metal spikes carry more risk of a painful accident, certainly...

[ThatOneCatC]

These spikes have got to be the most dangerous method of keeping a person from holing up in a doorway I have ever seen. I know a number of businesses in the neighborhood I work and socialize in have taken similar if less extreme measures to prevent the same problem. Cement knobs spaced on benches and (in our offices case) in the areas they like to sleep have definitely encouraged people to relocate themselves. The street I work and play on has seen an increase over the past few years of aggressive and dangerous vagrants and these measures were needed to help curb the issue. In walking distance of two shelters and a YMCA, not having available shelter is not as much an issue. The issue is that the individuals who were sleeping there were not allowed in to shelters due to violent tendencies. To that end I can certainly empathize with the business owners. In this case the method is dangerously extreme.

[Thanas]

I wonder if putting those spikes up is even legal. Is that a public street the entrance leads to?