PC gone mad or just a genuine mistake?

[Jimbuna]

I'm certainly not condoning the actions of the Metro Announcer but begging is an unlawful act in the UK.

The employer obviously believes it innapropriate for the employee to make such an announcement but I would ask them do they feel it appropriate that an unlawful act should should be overlooked on property the public have access to and they have a duty of care towards said public.

During my time in uniform I would move the person or persons that were begging away from the location after giving a few words of support and directions to a place of help and that usually sufficed.

I reckon the major flaw here being it is not legally enforced equitably from area to area.

Tyne and Wear Metro has apologised for an "inappropriate" comment made over its public address system.
It follows an incident at Wallsend station when a man thought to be from Eastern Europe was allegedly begging.
The announcer said: "We've had numerous complaints about your behaviour demanding money and begging. You might do it in your country but you're not doing it here."
Metro's operator apologised and said an investigation had started.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-37998568

The Vagrancy Act 1824 (5 Geo. 4. c. 83) is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom that makes it an offence to sleep rough or beg. Anyone in England and Wales found to be homeless or to be trying to cadge subsistence money can be arrested.

[Oberon]

He didn't need to add the "You might do it in your own country", that's just being condescending.

[Von Due]

Perhaps this is two separate issues, as Oberon touched upon. One is as in the OP: There is a law against begging and begging should be dealt with appropriately. Another issue is what is appropriate, and the way I read it, it's the second issue that is the story.

[Skybird]

Much ado about nothing. So, yes, PC is partying again.

---

Reminds me of this: one of our profs at university, this one for psychopathology, used to greet us repeatedly with this:

"Meine Damen und Herren, diagnostizieren Sie nicht zu oft und nicht zu lange. Finden werden Sie letztlich immer was. Am Ende aber eben nur noch irgendetwas."

Translation: "Ladies and gentlemen, do not diagnose too long and too often. Finding something - you always will. But if you look too closely, you end up finding just anything, something."

[Aktungbby]

During my time in uniform I would move the person or persons that were begging away from the location after giving a few words of support and directions to a place of help and that usually sufficed.

I reckon the major flaw here being it is not legally enforced equitably from area to area.

Likewise This is not helped by San Francisco's latest ruling- in effect 'quality- of-life' citations(generally infractions) are no longer enforced by the courts; http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/matier-ross/article/SF-courts-ignoring-thousands-of-quality-of-life-10611766.php?cmpid=sfc_em_topstories?cmpid=email-premium (http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/matier-ross/article/SF-courts-ignoring-thousands-of-quality-of-life-10611766.php?cmpid=sfc_em_topstories?cmpid=email-premium)

[Jimbuna]

He didn't need to add the "You might do it in your own country", that's just being condescending.

Agreed but I don't consider it a sackable offence and his employer may well take the opportunity to exonerate themselves from it all. That would be my concern.

[Oberon]

Agreed but I don't consider it a sackable offence and his employer may well take the opportunity to exonerate themselves from it all. That would be my concern.

Not sackable, no, but certainly a warning, if he wasn't already on his last one. A written apology could then be used by the company to the press and we move on.