Currently in Brussels for work.

The number of beggers and their aggressiveness is surprising.

Have been in many European cities through work and never experienced anything like here in Brussels. In your face and pestering.

Gran/old lady sitting down and sending the grand kids into restaurants to ask a at each table and what I presume is the daughter /mother of kids collects the money from the old lady.

Woman going into restaurants with a pram and pushing it between tables asking her money.

And the “best” one… Was on the Gran Place or whatever the main square is called. Lots of beggers sitting down. I walked past one of them and he moved his bottom-of-a-plastic-bottle collection pot into my path and I sent it flying with my foot. My mate and I scrambled around for the few pennies (and it was literally just 1 and 2 cent pieces) and out of shame we have him our change, about 6€.

Walking back later that evening we saw some woman do exactly the same thing to another couple. The couple tried to collect the coins, the begger lady made no attempt. Other passersby even reached into their pockets.

Clever and crafty.

Welcome to Brussels 🙂

on the plus side – it’s a short journey to nicer bits

Went there last summer after a couple of days in lovely Bruges and we disliked Brussesls so much that we cancelled our hotel and jumped straight on the train back to Bruges. The city centre was as bad as Leicester Square; dirty, unloved, full of gobbing tourists and beggars and we witnessed a nasty fight between two cafe owners over pavement space. It stank of urine and we saw human poo in several places in the street. The story is that many original residents have rented out their apartments for fantastic amounts of money thanks to the demand created by the EU and have moved out, leaving the city centre full of people who don’t care.

I honestly thought this was going to be another Brexit thread. Maybe Corbyn trying to get a “Jobs First!” Withdrawal Agreement.

I’m quite relieved actually.

Was going to head there for le Tour next summer. May avoid.

Best ignored. If everyone did this they would have to get a job.

we saw human poo in several places in the street. The story is that many original residents have rented out their apartments for fantastic amounts of money

To wealthy lunatics who like to shit in the street?

To wealthy lunatics

Rick Sanchez?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5ODi9pG27g

To wealthy lunatics who like to shit in the street?

Don’t go to Hartlepool then!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-46261480/hartlepool-the-town-where-police-don-t-come-out

@ 2mins, 26secs

Urghh.

To be fair Glasgow is no better these days . I walked from queen street to central last saturday night and passed easily 10 in about 6 minutes not too mention a squad of junkie types outside central station beside the chip shop. Any big city has these problems these days , though you would imagine central europe to have more than cities in the UK.

Hmmm. .I’m sure other cities have high numbers of beggars, but never before have I been so irritated by them.

In Brussels it seems to be predominantly sc<span style=”font-size: 0.8rem;”>arf wearing ladies sitting on the floor is high, who for the most part you can ignore (unless they place their money pots in your pan). It’s no so easy to ignore the kids and mums who pester you at  your table who don’t take no for an answer, constantly mumbling something or other in foreign with their hand in front of your face. A firm f*** off didn’t always do the trick. </span>

I’m guessing you were right in the middle of touristville.  You don’t have to go so far away from the centre before it becomes quite normal again.  Tricks are tricks and good ones can make you smile at being conned when you thought you had seen it all.

But also get away from the centre and you start to see the really scary stuff with families sleeping in the same doorsteps for months at a time.

OP, those are professional “beggars” …

The more you give the more they appear.

They can spot a non-local miles away and they see you coming …

There are more “beggars” in UK & EU than what I have seen in S.E.Asia and in the far east there are No welfare system.

johnners

I honestly thought this was going to be another Brexit thread…

Me too. I thought it was about our Brexit negotiators.

Me too. I thought it was about our Brexit negotiators.

Most probably the thread will go political judging from the hints dropping here and there  …