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02.05.2021, 12:29
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| | Basel offers homeless free one-way ticket to European destinations...
... if they sign a contract to not come back. That’s the Swiss attitude that doesn’t make you popular with neighbors. https://www.newsweek.com/city-offers...-1588085?amp=1 | The following 6 users would like to thank Treverus for this useful post: | | 
02.05.2021, 12:36
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| | Re: Basel offers homeless free one-way ticket to European destinations...
Subtle!
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02.05.2021, 12:36
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jul 2020 Location: Up there over the fog
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| | Re: Basel offers homeless free one-way ticket to European destinations...
wow
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02.05.2021, 12:39
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| | Re: Basel offers homeless free one-way ticket to European destinations...
I noticed this and thought it was a joke... talk about making a problem go away
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02.05.2021, 12:42
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| | Re: Basel offers homeless free one-way ticket to European destinations... | Quote: | |  | | | I noticed this and thought it was a joke... talk about making a problem fly away | | | | | fixed that for ya..
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02.05.2021, 12:53
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| | Re: Basel offers homeless free one-way ticket to European destinations...
Can someone find a Swiss article substantiating this? I can't find anything on this anywhere
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02.05.2021, 13:04
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| | Re: Basel offers homeless free one-way ticket to European destinations... | Quote: | |  | | | Can someone find a Swiss article substantiating this? I can't find anything on this anywhere | | | | | https://www.20min.ch/fr/story/un-che...s-688160601385 | The following 4 users would like to thank Treverus for this useful post: | | 
02.05.2021, 13:09
| Senior Member | | Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Lausanne
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| | Re: Basel offers homeless free one-way ticket to European destinations...
Homeless people is not the same thing as beggars.
Begging in the street is not allowed in several Swiss Cantons / Cities.
So, which one is it? Homeless or beggars?
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02.05.2021, 16:38
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: CH
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| | Re: Basel offers homeless free one-way ticket to European destinations... | Quote: | |  | | | | | | | | | Quote: |  | | | Le service des migrations de la ville de Bâle propose un Rail Check ainsi qu’un don de 20 francs à tout mendiant qui en fait la demande. Ce bon de voyage permet de se rendre gratuitement vers une destination européenne en train. Mais, comme le confirme Toprak Yergu, porte-parole du Département bâlois de la justice, «les bénéficiaires doivent s’engager par écrit à ne pas revenir en Suisse – au moins pendant un certain temps. S’ils sont à nouveau contrôlés, ils risquent l’expulsion de notre pays.»
Au total, 31 personnes se sont annoncées: 14 venaient de Roumanie, 7 de Belgique, 7 d’Allemagne, 2 d’Italie et une de France.» | | | | | I don't think that will work, but fingers crossed.
@Sinking,
The ban should be extended to all cantons. | Quote: | |  | | | Homeless people is not the same thing as beggars. Begging in the street is not allowed in several Swiss Cantons / Cities.
So, which one is it? Homeless or beggars? | | | | | | Quote: | |  | | | This article (paywall) is on a small travel agency called Travelpoint by the Claraplatz. The owner says that his customers are predominantly Romanians lately, they pay with coins only for the Wizzair tickets (direct flight to Bukarest, typical cost is around 60 CHF one-way including airport tax and other fees). Many are repeat customers, oftentimes with different IDs, one ID had a printed validity of 60 years, apparently something no country does. . | | | | | You do realise these IDs are fake, I hope. Which makes me wonder how on earth they can board here..if nothing else..Typical cost appears to be 214 chf last time I checked btw. This article made me very curious.
Last edited by greenmount; 02.05.2021 at 18:04.
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02.05.2021, 12:56
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| | Re: Basel offers homeless free one-way ticket to European destinations...
A few years ago, the SP in Basel decided to adopt a different approach to begging - effectively, total tolerance.
This has ended up with Basel being a Mecca to beggars - including the organised gangs. There's a woman who has her spot by the Denner near Wettsteinplatz. Like many of the others, she's shrouded in blankets to keep out the cold, a sign saying (in English) "Please help, 2 kids to feed". I used to walk by about the same time each Saturday morning. She had a mobile phone, a packed lunch (usually hidden away, as it doesn't go with the look), and sometimes her gang members would visit her for a chat.
A few weeks ago, I saw a child of about 12 begging on Mittlerebrücke - exactly the same MO as the rest of this obvious gang.
Organised begging isn't allowed, but the police have been told not to challenge any beggar.
These people will not be accepting the offer. They're making too much money out of gullible tourists.
There is a Swiss man on IV. He has a disability which makes walking difficult. He supplements his income by begging, and while out, tends to exaggerate his disability. How do I know this? He was interviewed by TeleBasel and was quite open about it. Again his target is tourists. As a Swiss man, he won't be taking the offer.
However, I do know a few homeless people in Basel who would take the offer. They want to move on, but lack the wherewithall to do it. No one is forced to take the offer, and as it stands Basel is (in my view over) tolerant of begging.
__________________
Down with racism. Long live miscegenation!
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02.05.2021, 13:04
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| | Re: Basel offers homeless free one-way ticket to European destinations... | Quote: | |  | | | A few years ago, the SP in Basel decided to adopt a different approach to begging - effectively, total tolerance.
This has ended up with Basel being a Mecca to beggars - including the organised gangs. There's a woman who has her spot by the Denner near Wettsteinplatz. Like many of the others, she's shrouded in blankets to keep out the cold, a sign saying (in English) "Please help, 2 kids to feed". I used to walk by about the same time each Saturday morning. She had a mobile phone, a packed lunch (usually hidden away, as it doesn't go with the look), and sometimes her gang members would visit her for a chat.
A few weeks ago, I saw a child of about 12 begging on Mittlerebrücke - exactly the same MO as the rest of this obvious gang.
Organised begging isn't allowed, but the police have been told not to challenge any beggar.
These people will not be accepting the offer. They're making too much money out of gullible tourists.
There is a Swiss man on IV. He has a disability which makes walking difficult. He supplements his income by begging, and while out, tends to exaggerate his disability. How do I know this? He was interviewed by TeleBasel and was quite open about it. Again his target is tourists. As a Swiss man, he won't be taking the offer.
However, I do know a few homeless people in Basel who would take the offer. They want to move on, but lack the wherewithall to do it. No one is forced to take the offer, and as it stands Basel is (in my view over) tolerant of begging. | | | | | I suspect that quite a few people who came to Basel from abroad to make some cash off tourists may have gotten caught up in the pandemics and couldn't get back home, maybe..Because of lack of funds, no tourists, borders were closed at some point, etc. Would that be a reason why the city proposed this help? How will they go about the PCR tests prior flying?
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02.05.2021, 16:08
| Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Bern
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| | Re: Basel offers homeless free one-way ticket to European destinations... | Quote: | |  | | | I suspect that quite a few people who came to Basel from abroad to make some cash off tourists may have gotten caught up in the pandemics and couldn't get back home, maybe..Because of lack of funds, no tourists, borders were closed at some point, etc. Would that be a reason why the city proposed this help? How will they go about the PCR tests prior flying? | | | | | No, it really is a major problem in Basel. These are Romas who are part of a criminal human trafficking operation. I can tell you they most definitely will not be taking the offer & will instead wait for the bus from their boss to pick them up while he drops off fresh beggars.
Here's more on the subject: https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/rundschau...5-ddddeaa6eb43
One of them grabbed my breasts at Le Train Bleu outside SBB. He came up & harassed people at their tables & then he pretended to trip and fall over his crutches right onto my chest. He was suddenly no longer crippled when the table of gentleman next to me rushed to my aid... he picked up his crutches and ran like the wind. Basel was incredibly stupid to ever allow this to happen in the first place, it is a real mess.
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02.05.2021, 18:54
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| | Re: Basel offers homeless free one-way ticket to European destinations... | Quote: | |  | | | | | | | | Fantastic idea!
They should do it country wide!
Tom
| 
02.05.2021, 22:49
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| | Re: Basel offers homeless free one-way ticket to European destinations... | Quote: | |  | | | | | | | | This is nothing new.
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03.05.2021, 00:02
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| | Re: Basel offers homeless free one-way ticket to European destinations... | Quote: | |  | | | | | | | | Did anyone read Treverus' link until the end? | Quote: |  | | | In 2018, a Guardian investigation revealed that councils in the U.K. had engaged in similar conduct by giving thousands of homeless individuals a one-way travel ticket to leave some locations over the span of four years. | | | | | | This user would like to thank Axa for this useful post: | | 
03.05.2021, 07:38
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| | Re: Basel offers homeless free one-way ticket to European destinations... | Quote: | |  | | | Wasn't like this even when I came here 15 months ago. Place is covered in graffiti. | | | | | That's always been the case. | Quote: | |  | | | hey are taking over the city parks and are washing their laundry in the fountains with the chemicals going on the street | | | | | Crapping in the parks. | Quote: | |  | | | You should all have some more respect for beggars here in Switzerland as they don't have an easy life.
They probably earn as much money as you do, but they can't spend their entire work day on social media. | | | | | They've all got smartphones. How else do you think they keep themseleves amused.
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03.05.2021, 08:01
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| | Re: Basel offers homeless free one-way ticket to European destinations...
Ugh, they are coming into Bern now. I’ve seen a few with the roses, but nothing like Basel. I hope it doesn’t get that bad ... probably one of the only times I will be on the side of SVP. https://www.20min.ch/video/organisie...r-438945202697
I can totally see the naive ultra liberal Bernese catering to these guys ... blerg.
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03.05.2021, 08:40
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| | Re: Basel offers homeless free one-way ticket to European destinations...
1. I also find it a bit weird that there is so little in the press on this. Probably because it
a) was just a "Vorstoss"... an idea to be discussed, not in practice yet
b) an offer, not any sort of forced deportation.
I honestly think this doesnt address the professional beggars. Because they are professionals. If they choose Basel then thats because they make money there. A cheap ticket and 20 EUR wont change that. The offer might work for the people who got stranded in Basel due to lock downs in FR and DE who would actually like to return home but cant. Lots of homeless like to spend the summers in the southern EU and the winters in places like Switzerland where the shelters are probably better than in Greece or Italy. I guess they would be tempted to fly out and then choose say Germany for their next winter.
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03.05.2021, 09:33
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| | Re: Basel offers homeless free one-way ticket to European destinations... | Quote: | |  | | | 1. I also find it a bit weird that there is so little in the press on this. Probably because it
a) was just a "Vorstoss"... an idea to be discussed, not in practice yet
b) an offer, not any sort of forced deportation.
I honestly think this doesnt address the professional beggars. Because they are professionals. If they choose Basel then thats because they make money there. A cheap ticket and 20 EUR wont change that. The offer might work for the people who got stranded in Basel due to lock downs in FR and DE who would actually like to return home but cant. Lots of homeless like to spend the summers in the southern EU and the winters in places like Switzerland where the shelters are probably better than in Greece or Italy. I guess they would be tempted to fly out and then choose say Germany for their next winter. | | | | | I think the best thing would be for awareness raised among tourists to not give any money to beggars. Signs in main areas etc. Also, a small police patrol that goes at random intervals down the main areas checking permits etc.
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03.05.2021, 09:58
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| | Re: Basel offers homeless free one-way ticket to European destinations... | Quote: | |  | | | 1. I also find it a bit weird that there is so little in the press on this. Probably because it
a) was just a "Vorstoss"... an idea to be discussed, not in practice yet | | | | | Ah, yes, thank you, that makes sense. I've also not been able to find it, as a concrete offer, anywhere.
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