Letter of the day

I was disappointed by the tone, language and spirit of Councillor Galloway's forthcoming homelessness motion ('˜Disgusting,

Terrifying And Wrong’; Ukip councillor under fire for saying he wants to remove ‘unwelcome detritus’ of homeless people, July 4)

In particular, I categorically disagree that the homeless men and women in and around Commercial Road are beggars. They are not. They are homeless.

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Labelling them as detritus is sickening. They do not dominate the city - that is a ridiculous and hysterical statement.

The suggestion that that they are ‘placed in specific care whether they want to or not’ is, frankly, internment.

The motion advocates the active persecution of a vulnerable minority group by both the Council and the police. We are better than this. Or at least, I hope we are.

I volunteer and engage with the homeless in Portsmouth several times a week for many hours.

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They are individuals: vulnerable, frightened, alienated individual people with personal histories that would shatter any of us.

A number are former servicemen.

Many are women. Many have mental health issues. They are among the finest human beings I have ever met.

Liesl Rose

Solent Road, Drayton