Controversy around the new Luxembourg City begging ban persists, with critics arguing that the regulation targets the homeless and poor while officials insist on differentiating between peaceful individuals and organised groups.
"Poverty in the country has to be counteracted", argues Luxembourg City councilwoman Maxime Miltgen from the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP), which plans on initiating a legal review of the new begging ban. In conversation with RTL, Miltgen further expressed her view that the new police regulation implemented by Internal Security Minister Léon Gloden fights poor people rather than poverty.
The regulation goes further than the initial ban sought by the municipality in that it not only targets organised and aggressive begging, but also more peaceful attempts of homeless people looking for money, who are now prohibited from doing so between 7am and 10pm in certain places.
Luxembourg City Mayor and MP Lydie Polfer faced criticism in the Chamber for the partial begging ban. Responding to questions from former Justice Minister Sam Tanson, Polfer underlined her trust in the police's ability to differentiate between peaceful and aggressive beggars.
Still, the ban ends up hitting individuals as much as organised groups, according to critics.
Transition period
Our colleagues from RTL recently went out into the streets of the capital to speak to those affected by the ban. Some expressed their view that the aggressive behaviour of groups is to blame for the ban and demand that something be done about it.
Police officers took time to explain to those affected that there will be a transition period until 1 January 2024, after which they are no longer allowed to place empty cups in front of them to ask for money. Those violating the regulation will be taken in to the station when caught.
© Laurent Weber / RTL
Luxembourg's human rights commission criticises that the new police regulation restricts people's freedoms, which they say can only be done through laws. Nevertheless, the commission has little hopes that the government will back-pedal on its decision, and questions remain about how to penalise violations of the begging ban.
