The closure of a fountain located in a city center square by the Nice city hall led to a heated exchange between city services and the association Tous citoyens, which accused the move of being an exclusion measure against the homeless.
“The City of Nice categorically refutes the accusation of having closed the fountain in Place du Pin to drive away the homeless and condemns a baseless controversy,” the city hall assured in a statement.
The fountain in Place du Pin in Nice was closed at the beginning of the summer, at the request of “many residents and merchants” according to the city hall, which explained this decision by “inappropriate use that caused nuisances and incivilities, including by people with homes.” Homeless people were notably washing their clothes and dogs there, according to a spokesperson for the city hall.
“In Nice, there are no free public toilets or showers that the homeless could use. They are deprived of any means to maintain a minimum level of hygiene, and then their dirtiness is used as a pretext to drive them away,” criticized the collective “Tous citoyens.”
The city hall argues that the city “has 120 self-service fountains throughout the city, notably on the Promenade du Paillon, the Promenade des Anglais, and in parks and gardens.”
In fact, the merchants support the city hall’s position. The presence of the homeless is not a good advertisement for business activities.
And between the merchants and the homeless, who could the city hall choose but the former? Do merchants vote? Yes. Do the homeless vote? No.
The dialogue of the deaf is destined to continue…
