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Florida City Plays Baby Shark Throughout The Night To Stop Homeless People Sleeping In Park

Florida City Plays Baby Shark Throughout The Night To Stop Homeless People Sleeping In Park

The move has been blasted by some as 'immoral'

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

A city in Florida is blasting children's song 'Baby Shark' on loop throughout the night in attempts to deter homeless people from sleeping outside.

Songs such as 'Baby Shark' and 'Raining Tacos' are being played outside the Waterfront Lake Pavilion, in West Palm Beach, a popular event spot, all through the night, Good Morning Tampa Bay reports.

The city has been loudly playing 'annoying' kids' songs, such as 'Baby Shark'.
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City spokesperson Kathleen Walter told CNN the music was to discourage people from 'congregating at the building' and to 'encourage people to seek safer, more appropriate shelter'.

She added: "The music volume complies with City code, and is a temporary measure, as we are exploring the possibility of having set hours for the Great Lawn and Pavilion."

Mayor Keith James told Fox News the plan was introduced after people found 'unsanitary things' in the park - including human waste.

He told the news outlet: "Workers in the morning were finding some unsanitary things, including human faeces, around the Lake Pavilion."

The pavilion is a popular spot, which hosted 164 events in 12 months, including weddings.

Parks and Recreation director Leah Rockwell told the Palm Beach Post that people are paying 'thousands of dollars' to use the pavilion, so it's important that it is kept clean.

She said: "We wanted to make sure people paying this money had a facility that was clean and open and continue to use it in the future."

But the move has been slammed by many, who have branded it 'immoral' and 'inhumane'.

Megan Hustings, interim director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, told CNN the bizarre idea shows a 'lack of concern' for people who 'are struggling through a very tough time'.

"Responding with this kind of discrimination and disgust instead of compassion is... really immoral. It's disturbing," she added. "We're all humans, and we need to sleep."

City commissioner Richard Ryles told Good Morning Tampa Bay: "There is a fine line between being humane and inhumane when trying to deal with the homeless.

"All of us are probably just one paycheck away from being homeless. And so, I [would] want someone to be compassionate with me."

One homeless man who sleeps at the park told Fox News he still spends the night at the park but the music is 'on and on, the same song'.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: US News