Animal protection Düsseldorf: No more beggar security” on the Kö!

Animal protection Düsseldorf: No more beggar security” on the Kö!

The discussion about the use of private security services on Düsseldorf's Königsallee, also known as Kö, is increasing. Animal Welfare Düsseldorf has clearly spoken out against the so-called beggar security. The private security service that takes action against people begging is criticized by the party as a “misguided approach”. Press spokesman Niclas Ehrenberg instead calls for effective solutions that help people in need instead of driving them away. Managing director Torsten Lemmer emphasizes that humanity should take precedence over the reputation of Königsallee.

The informed about the current developments NRZ. Shop owners have already started hiring private security services to crack down on the homeless begging. This led to a protest in which former and current homeless people and their supporters demonstrated on August 21st. The aim of the campaign was to offer beggars a platform to tell their stories.

Protest on Königsallee

The protesters symbolically swept the Königsallee in front of the luxury boutiques to draw attention to the problem. Oliver Ongaro, a street worker at FiftyFifty, firmly rejected the allegations of a “begging mafia” and emphasized that there was no organized crime among the beggars. This contradicts Peter Wienen, the chairman of the Königsallee interest group (IG Kö), who spoke of “organized begging” and criticized the city of Düsseldorf for not responding adequately to the situation.

The city administration confirmed that IG Kö had repeatedly pointed out the problem, but rejected the IG's assessment. Although the public order office prohibits aggressive begging, silent begging remains legally permissible. IG Kö plans to keep Königsallee internationally competitive in order to generate income for social projects.

Demands for social responsibility

While private security forces have so far taken action against beggars, Tierschutz Düsseldorf is calling for investments in social work, offers of help and prevention in order to find sustainable solutions. The party believes that the use of private security services is not only expensive and ineffective, but also inhumane. She wants to set an example in the election campaign and demands that the city take a look and act instead of pushing out people in need.

The debate about repression versus social responsibility could shape the urban climate in Düsseldorf in the coming months. Critics of IG Kö, including the Old Town Alms Kitchen and the street magazine FiftyFifty, express concerns that the deployment of a security service is ultimately aimed at driving away the beggars. Passers-by's opinions about the situation of beggars are mixed, which illustrates the complexity of the issue.

A continuation of the talks between the homeless aid agency and IG Kö is planned for the beginning of next week in order to discuss possible solutions.