Advocates Call For Homeless Rights During Sit-In
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A homeless rights group hosted a sit-in during the evening rush hour in Penn Station Tuesday to protest what they are calling unfair treatment by the police.
Members of the homeless-run group, Picture the Homeless, say MTA and NYPD officers routinely target and harass law-abiding homeless people in Penn Station.
They also say homeless people are more likely than others to get a citation for minor offenses like drinking in public or trespassing.
Organizers of the sit-in say the city should focus on solutions including housing.
"A homeless person could have a ticket sitting in this waiting room but because he was unable to come in a fresh set of clothes or maybe a shirt and tie, the police will selectively enforce rules that say you can only be in that waiting room for an hour," said Robert Robinson, Picture the Homeless.
"We need a place to sleep and we don't have a place to sleep. The shelter system is horrendous. The shelters are degrading and filthy and they're run by fear," said Joan Harrison, Picture The Homeless.
After a 2003 court settlement, the NYPD forbids its officers to profile based on homeless status.
NY1 has reached out to the NYPD and the MTA Police for comment.