ASBOs, we all heard the debate in the press, some of us took an interest, all old news now? But the ASBO is still with us, what are they and what do they mean for and tell us about our society?
This week, I was passing through Bloomsbury on my way to a chip shop I occasionally frequent there, when my contemplative mood was a little rudely interrupted by the raucous revelry of a bunch of freshers - school uniforms, bottles of wine griped by the neck, beer bottles slugged down en-route - a picture of student debauchery. They screamed up and down the street at each other and staggered from side to side and looked - to my eyes - hardly 18. "Bloody freshers!" I thought. This is by no means an unusual site in the area, which is home to a number of university halls. As I stood however, wondering whether these kids really were the top intellects of their generation, the cream of the crop, or whether they were just a bunch of spoilt empty headed middle-class tossers, my attention was caught by a policeman making a straight line for me! He passed me by however, a shabby looking gentleman sipping at a beer on the step behind me apparently the subject of his interest. Unable to resist, I moved close enough to eavesdrop: It was a very revealing conversation something along the following lines:
Police: "You know you are not allowed to drink on the street."
Homeless: Makes apology for drinking on the street, then appeals, "I can't afford the pub though...".
Police: "If I see you at it again, I'll arrest you. Move on."
Homeless: The homeless man says that he has nowhere to go.
Police: "Drink in a park or something." He is told. This too is illegal, the policeman
points out, "but at least nobody will see you. You can't stay here. Nobody wants
to see you. The people that live in this house, the last thing they want to do
is come down and find you on their steps."(It is after dark and all the parks in the area are locked as far as I can tell)
The homeless man agrees to
move on, but it seems moving takes him something of an effort.
This, to the best of my memory, is pretty much how the conversation went. The gist of this conversation though, seems to be somewhere along the lines of "I don't give a toss about you, but nobody wants to see you, so go drink your alcohol where you are not going to offend anybodies eyes".
I am afraid that having witnessed this episode, I was then impetuous enough to approach the policeman and venture the question, "what about those students over there?" (yes the noisy ones carrying bottles of bear and wine and shouting and throwing things I have already acquainted you with).
"They are not causing any trouble. We..."- I was told - "...are targeting trouble makers! Like him" (for the the record he indicated the homeless man). "I was generous with him, he is in breach of his ASBO". I have to say I wish very much now I had enquired further as to the details of his ASBO. The policeman raised his voice and stood quite a bit too close to me however, and I have to say I took the "We don't like trouble makers" hint. I could not help wondering all the while however, if the "known troublemaker" in front of me had in fact ever ever been responsible for much more trouble than he had been causing on this occasion. I dropped the matter, for the officer clearly had not taken my inquiry kindly at all, but the reference to his "Anti Social Behaviour Order", continued to bother me.
We all heard the debate in the press, most of us have heard the government line and the fears of conscientious organisations, but I had just seen an ASBO in action. I have to say, the incident raised my suspicions somewhat concerning the laws!
