After reporting on begging in the capital, RTL.lu’s Céline Spithoven was contacted by 26-year-old Svenja, who took over her parents’ stand three years ago and now goes to several markets around the country. During her previous reports, our colleague had gained the impression that the begging situation in Luxembourg City may not be as bad as some make it out to be. But Svenja claimed that the situation is not as calm at the market in Ville-Haute and invited our colleague to join her at the market on Place Hamilius on Saturday 22 April.
It’s barely 7am when we arrive at the market square. Someone is already sitting at the entrance, waiting. “A few months ago, it was much worse,” Svenja says, showing me a video from January 2023.
As the morning wears on, more people come. Some sit on the ground with cups or signs, while others walk around the market. Some move from one place to another in order to get the most traffic.
Some are still relatively young and speak Luxembourgish, others are drunk. One of them speaks Italian to me, while elderly women with headscarves and bags sit and wait near the old bank.
But even though there are quite a lot of beggars in and around the market area, the overall situation still seemed rather quiet to me on that day. It has to be said, however, that the police presence in the capital was increased because of Princess Alexandra’s civil wedding that day.
Svenja and a few other street vendors tell me about the recent spike in thefts, assaults, and other incidents of violence directed towards them.
Several cash registers have been stolen, customers have had money taken out of their pockets, and street vendors are being assaulted, even with physical violence, they tell me.
Beggars who are part of organised gangs are allegedly not necessarily the biggest problem here. “There are a number of homeless people who have a drug or alcohol problem. They are often not quite themselves and can become aggressive if they do not get what they want,” according to Margarida Dias, who has had a fruit and vegetable stand for 30 years.
Svenja has had a similar experience. When someone ordered food from her and then claimed he couldn’t pay, she refused to give him the food without payment. “He then simply tried to snatch the bags from my hands. They don’t just steal boxes, they also steal food. When they are caught, they often become violent.”
A few weeks ago, a market trader was even grabbed by the neck because he had caught a group trying to steal a kiwi.
“This does make you feel unsafe,” says Svenja, who also worries about the customers.
Some people have tried to meet the beggars halfway several times. “Sometimes we offer them something to eat; it won’t kill us. But then they insult us or throw the food back at us. They only want money,” several street vendors tell me.”
And if you give them one or two euros, they come back the next week asking for €10 and €50 a week later. “It’s outrageous,” Svenja says. In fact, beggars are allegedly raking in quite the profit at the market, as the street vendors learn shortly before the end of the day. “They come to us to exchange the coins they collect. And we’re not talking about €5 here, but €200 or €300. That’s quite a shock for us, because we have to work here all day for that sort of money,” the young vendor explains.
The situation on the market has improved since the streetworkers from the association À vos côtés began making rounds, according to Sylvie, who has been working on the market for 17 years. “They talk to them, tell them which places they can go to, or calm them down if things get out of hand. But that only works for those who want to be helped.”
The municipality’s begging ban is generally welcomed by the street vendors, although some believe the underlying problem should also be addressed. Some argue that the success of the ban will also depend on how strictly it is enforced in practice. A majority of vendors feel that a stronger police presence is necessary, and not just on days when there are special events.
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