Freedom to Dumpster Divers in Budapest!

Local municipality of the 8th district of Budapest criminalizes poverty by prohibiting dumpster diving in that district. This is one of the poorest districts of Budapest (it is close to the centre of the city) where mostly poor families, homeless, Roma and Asian immigrants live. So, the law that prohibits dumpster diving in the 8th district is clearly directed against the poor. The law aims at satisfying interests of the middle class and rich tourists that should not see 'ugly' face of poverty. The law restricts and excludes the poor and homeless from the city centre. It also serves the rich and capitalism as it prohibits recycling and encourages BUYING and CONSUMING of the STUFF.  The social workers of Budapest are organizing a demonstration against this law, please, find the CALL below:


If we do not see poverty it does not mean it does not exist!

On the 1st of January 2011 dumpster diving was prohibited in the 8th district (Józsefváros) of Budapest: if you take trash in this district you are oblliged to pay the fine of 50.000 HUF (ca. 185 euro).  We, social workers, condemn this regulation which criminalizes poverty, attacks the defenseless, and sweeps the problems under the carpet. It is clear to everyone that poverty forces people in need to dumpster dive. The Municipality of Józsefváros and the mayor of this district are does not care about the poor, instead, they want to please the middle class that SHOULD NOT SEE POVERTY or HEAR ABOUT IT. If we do not see poverty it does not mean it does not exist.By this law the local government increases oppression against vulnerable groups, and official harassment makes existance of such groups even more impossible. Moreover, it also violates even standards of people's behaviour: what is no longer needed, should be thrown away rather than reused by somebody else. In reality, should this be announced to the inhabitants of the 8th district who are mostly homeless, poor families and pensioners?

WE DO NOT THINK SO!

To call attention to inhuman nature of this law, the following actions are organized:

COLLECTIVE DUMPSTER DIVING
10 March 2011 (Thursday), 5 p.m.Budapest, VIII. District, Baross Street and the Joseph boulevard corner in front of the OTP Bank.

We call for social workers, social care professionals, students and anyone else who agrees with us to join us at this action to express a radical "social action" model!

New Attitude Group ujszemlelet@gmail.com


DUMPSTER DIVING: PRO ET CONTRA
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