On September 6th 2018 Denmark took one step closer to criminalizing homelessness, when a man who had slept by himself outside in January 2018, was convicted to staying in a so-called "intimidating camp". Something that became illegal in Denmark as of March 2017. The law was introduced in order to provide the police with a tool to remove homeless migrants sleeping in small settlements in parks and under bridges in Copenhagen.
The 36 year old convicted man was sleeping by himself in a total of 14 days during a period of 3 weeks on the pedestrian street in central Copenhagen. He explained in court that he went there on the days when he had not been lucky in the lottery to get into the emergency night shelter in a near by church. He had a sleeping bag as it was very cold at the time. The prosecutor argued that he made up a camp because he had his belongings with him and because he had also taken meals on the site. The prosecutor also argued that this camp had been intimidating to the public, as the food might attracts rats to the spot and because he had on 2-3 occasions urinated close to the spot, when the near by public toilet was not available. The man was found guilty and should pay the fine of 500 DKK. The defendant appealed the verdict.
News in the Danish Press:
Information from the court:
English
News
Subject:
Criminalisation
Country:
