'Bang out of order': Anger as security guard mops floor where homeless man is sitting
The homeless man had been sitting outside a Nationwide bank branch - next door to the McDonald's where the security guards had been working. The fast food chain is now making enquiries.
Sunday 10 December 2023 11:13, UK
Footage posted on social media appears to show a security guard mopping the floor where a homeless man was sitting.
The video was taken on Victoria Street in London on Saturday night - and shows the man trying to move his sleeping bag and duvet away from the water as it seeped underneath.
The homeless man had been sitting outside a Nationwide bank branch - next door to the McDonald's where the security guards were working. The fast food chain said it was "shocked and saddened" by the footage.
The man was heard saying "leave me alone" as his belongings were kicked out of the way.
Another security guard attempted to stop someone from filming, and bystanders could be heard describing the situation as "outrageous" and "bang out of order".
Damon Evans, who posted the footage on X, tagged McDonald's and asked: "Do you think it is acceptable for your staff to soak the sleeping bags of homeless people in the middle of winter (or any other time of the year)?
"Disgusting behaviour. He wasn't even outside your premises."
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McDonald's UK replied to the footage, and said: "Thank you for bringing this to our attention. It is not one of our employees but a third-party security guard."
In a later reply on X, the fast food chain added: "We are shocked and saddened by this incident. The third party security guards involved have been permanently removed from our restaurants and the restaurant team has been reminded of the importance of treating all people with respect, including vulnerable people both in the restaurant and within the wider community.
"We would like to wholeheartedly apologise to the gentleman in the video and will work with the council to locate him and make amends as part of our ongoing work to support homelessness charities in & around the area."
Crisis, a charity for people experiencing homelessness, has described the incident as "appalling".
"It's appalling to see someone sleeping rough treated so callously," Francesca Albanese, Executive Director of Policy and Social Change, at Crisis said.
"But unfortunately, it's not a surprise. Crisis research has found that people sleeping rough are frequently subject to abuse and unkindness.
"They are almost 17 times more likely to have been victims of violence compared to the general public.
"And the wider context is that rough sleeping is on the rise across England," she added.