As the pandemic makes its way through almost every community, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the “stay home” mantra is based on denial at worst, or misunderstanding at best, of how many people worldwide cannot comply. The global housing crisis that pre-dates the Covid-19 outbreak means that staying home is a privilege.
The trend to criminalise homeless people continues. In a number of cities in France and elsewhere, homeless people are being ticketed for being on the streets in violation of lockdown and physical distancing rules, though they have nowhere to go.