• 22/11/2017
  • Written by: Kelly

“This is not the Manchurian thing, it’s not how we treat people”

This is what Jennie Platt said when she noticed that anti-homeless ‘spikes’ had been installed in a sheltered area outside a building in the city centre. After watching her son’s rugby game on a Sunday, Jennie and her boys ‘recruited’ a couple of their friends to help with the situation.

Heading off to Primark to buy a selection of pillows and a supermarket for a selection of food they proceeded to cover the spikes with the pillows and write on a cardboard sign just above the pile of food, “Take a seat and have a bite to eat”.

After receiving praise on social media, the story gained enough traction to warrant comments from businesses inside the rented space to clarify no involvement in the installation of the spikes. Eventually this public backlash escalated to the extent that the Manchester Council’s city spokesman Pat Kearney stated that “I am pleased that the spikes have been removed. This is not the image of Manchester we want to project.”

All it took was a couple of friends, a few pillows, a bit of food and a social media post for the spotlight to turn on those who installed the inhumane spikes. As Jennie quite rightly stated “The building owners are treating human beings like pigeons.”

Jennie took action on her instincts to fix something that isn’t right at all. Well played Jennie, we tip our hats to you!

This story appeared on BBC online.