Providence Councilman Wants to Crackdown on Panhandling After Recent Stabbing Death
Thursday, July 18, 2019
Providence City Councilman Nick Narducci is looking to drastically crackdown on panhandling in the city, following the recent stabbing over a panhandling dispute on North Main Street — and a man was killed in a turf fight on Branch Avenue on 2014.
Narducci’s proposal to amend the city’s existing solicitation ordinance is coming before the Providence City Council Thursday night — and would prohibit against not just “aggressive” solicitation — but solicitation in general.
Under Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, the city’s current prohibition of “aggressive” panhandling is not enforced — now, Narducci wants to extend the scope, and enforcement, of the language.
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The current ordinance as written says “no person shall solicit in an aggressive manner in a public place” — the proposed change would be to “no person shall solicit in a public place.”
And the definition of “aggressive manner solicitation” — currently defined as “conduct intended or likely to cause a reasonable person to fear bodily harm” — would be changed to a blanket prohibition of “solicitation — approaching or speaking to a person, or following a person.”
Narducci on Record
“I’m concerned about the safety of the panhandlers as much as anything else — I’m not trying to go against the homeless side of things,” said Narducci. “What upsets me a lot too is when kids from organizations are running in and out of cars trying to collect money.”
Narducci said he expects opposition from the Rhode Island American Civil Liberties Union.
“My thing is, what did ACLU do when two people were murdered? Who’s going to catch the heat when one of those children is hit by the car? I coached football all my life — I’m trying to prevent something from happening,” said Narducci.
“I’m trying to restart the conversation of what we can do better,” said Narducci, following the recent death. “I anticipate backlash — I’ve got big shoulders. But again, do we hold the ACLU responsible if someone’s murdered? I might be beating myself to death on this, but I’m trying. It’s sad to have two murders that could have been prevented.”
"The underlying ordinance language is bad enough, this takes it to another level," said Steve Brown with the RI ACLU. "This is blatantly unconstitutional."
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