A call for compassion: Hong Kong homeless volunteers blast shelters for turning them and their supplies away after near-record cold weather
The Home Affairs Department counters that privacy and security concerns require well-meaning people to heed the centres’ monitoring practices
Community groups and volunteers are demanding answers from the government as to why they are increasingly obstructed from bringing necessities to the homeless at temporary cold shelters.
Volunteer Benson Tsang Chi-ho tried three times on three nights during the recent cold snap to visit Nam Cheong Estate in Sham Shui Po, lugging bags of warm clothes, shoes, gloves, heat packs and food to those seeking refuge at the public shelter.
While Tsang was allowed in on Sunday night he was barred from entering the following evening. He then made another attempt to deliver supplies with at least a dozen others on Tuesday, but was again turned away by a staffer.
READ MORE: Cold comfort: Hong Kong’s most vulnerable people forced to stay outside in bone-chilling weather
“All he said was that he had orders from his supervisors not to let people go in to visit or give [the homeless people] anything,” the interior designer said. “I tried to reason with him, but he didn’t listen so I just barged in.” Police were called and the volunteers were escorted out of the shelter.
Tsang was told by police that they had received a complaint that they had barged into a private place. “That’s absurd,” Tsang said. “They claim to open these shelters for humanitarian reasons ... I’m bringing them this stuff for exactly the same reason.”
His message to the Home Affairs Department, which runs the shelters: “Please stop being so bureaucratic and start showing more compassion.”
As the city marked its coldest day in 59 years, many from the city’s most vulnerable groups were forced to brave the bone-chilling weather outdoors for most of Sunday.