Repression of homeless in Windsor

From the Mirror today

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/bus-offering-refuge-to-windsors-homeless-is-seized-by-police-ahead-of-harry-and-meghans-wedding/ar-AAxrtMz?li=BBoPRmx&ocid=mailsignout

Bus offering refuge to Windsor's homeless is seized by police ahead of Harry and Meghan's wedding.

A double-decker bus offering refuge to rough sleepers in Windsor has been impounded two days before the royal wedding, a charity has said.
Thames Valley Police said the The Ark Project's 10-bed bus was seized from the town centre on Thursday due to an issue with the driver's licence.

Rough sleepers have had their belongings seized for 'security reasons' in the royal borough town which will host the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on Saturday.

The Ark Project is a charity which operates out of a bus containing 10 beds and a kitchen to prepare warm food.

The charity said it was going to work the streets of Windsor to give the homeless people who have been removed a place to sleep.

But now it has been seized by Thames Valley Police officers, with footage posted on Facebook showing officers standing guard around the double-decker vehicle.

In the run up to the royal wedding the leader of Berkshire conservative council Simon Dudley wrote to Thames Valley Police saying rough sleepers should be removed from the town.

But, after a backlash, it appears the homeless have not been removed and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead said it has been working with charities to get rough sleepers the help they need.

Michael Longsmith, 42, who volunteers at The Ark Project, told the Daily Mail: "We have been working in Windsor about six months, but the bus has only just come because we have had to offload our Reading clients to come here."

However Mr Longsmith Many said many do not want to accept the charity's offer of help because they fear losing money during this weekend's popular event.

On Tuesday police officers were seen seizing the belongings of some homeless people.

The possessions have been taken away for safe keeping over security fears in case they are mistaken for suspicious packages.

Murphy James, of the Windsor Homeless Project, told The Sun Online: "There is nothing untoward in the bags being removed - it is the same as people not being allowed tents because of security.

"Police have offered homeless people the chance to put their belongings away for safe keeping until Monday and many have taken them up on this.

"The homeless people themselves are not going to be evicted and will be a part of the day."

It is believed the bus, referred to as Lenny by The Ark Project, was seized at some point on Thursday afternoon.

An online crowdfunding campaign has been launched on Kickstarter to "Free 'Lenny' Our Homeless Bus".

Inspector Gavin Biggs, a roads policing officer involved in the seizure said: “A commercial vehicle was seized from Windsor Town centre earlier.

“It was being driven otherwise in accordance with a licence, a man was reported for the offence and the vehicle was removed.”

No one is thought to have been arrested.

Around 100,000 people are estimated to line the streets of Windsor for the much-anticipated wedding.

On Tuesday police officers were seen seizing the belongings of some homeless people.

The possessions have been taken away for safe keeping over security fears in case they are mistaken for suspicious packages.

Murphy James, of the Windsor Homeless Project, told The Sun Online: "There is nothing untoward in the bags being removed - it is the same as people not being allowed tents because of security.

"Police have offered homeless people the chance to put their belongings away for safe keeping until Monday and many have taken them up on this.

"The homeless people themselves are not going to be evicted and will be a part of the day."

It is believed the bus, referred to as Lenny by The Ark Project, was seized at some point on Thursday afternoon.

An online crowdfunding campaign has been launched on Kickstarter to "Free 'Lenny' Our Homeless Bus".

Inspector Gavin Biggs, a roads policing officer involved in the seizure said: “A commercial vehicle was seized from Windsor Town centre earlier.

“It was being driven otherwise in accordance with a licence, a man was reported for the offence and the vehicle was removed.”

No one is thought to have been arrested.

Just as a side note another homeless charity from Maidenhead near Windsor also had a homeless bus, this was about to go into use a couple of weeks ago but was "vandalised". But that's probably a coincidence.

Disgraceful behaviour ,although only what you would expect from the police.Unless the charity were making a charge to the homeless (which i very much doubt) that bus was not a commercial vehicle.
Of course we cannot allow all the flag waving morons from around the world see the true state of Britain while they watch their favorite parasites spending untold millions of our money .That money could probably have housed all the homeless in Britain .