Providence Police plan to stop enforcing an anti-panhandling ordinance

By Ana Bottary

abottary@abc6.com

@anabottary

Pan handlers in Providence will no longer be treated as criminals. This comes after the ACLU wrote a letter to the city demanding a change in the anti- panhandling ordinance.

"We believe there are serious constitutional issues with the way the city has been enforcing the ordinance. As a result, we sent the city a letter asking them to halt its enforcement because of these legal concerns," says ACLU Executive Director Steven Brown.
 
Brown says the ordinance was selectively enforced, discriminating against poor and homeless people while other panhandlers are not bothered.

"The firefighters have fill-the-boot campaigns where they are asking motorists to fill the boot for charity. Little leagues and others hanging around on street corners or medians looking for money," he adds.

The city agreed. In response to the "aggressive solicitation" ordinance, the mayor and city solicitor have directed Providence Police to stop enforcing the ordinance. Brown says, of course, there are still laws in place to ensure panhandlers are going about it in a safe way.
 
"Whether its running into traffic, creating obstructions, standing in doorways not letting people in–all of those things have always been illegal. You didn’t need a particular ordinance. It’s our position and the position of the courts that people have a first amendment right to ask for donations," says Brown.

The city spokesperson also tells us an effort is underway to terminate any pending prosecutions related to the anti-panhandling ordinance.

© WLNE-TV 2016