Pushing for stronger homeless law

DOWNTOWN TOLEDO - After brazen attacks on some of the area's homeless, Toledo's city council is pushing for a stronger law.

"It amazes me when we started to look into this, that something like this doesn't already exist," said Councilman Tom Waniewski.

The request was made by Columbus lawmakers Tuesday evening and Toledo city council members want the state to declare attacks on the homeless as hate crimes.

Everyone has always known that attacks on the homeless happen, but in Toledo there is actual video showing some of the attacks. The hope now is that the people seen in these videos will be punished even more severely.

"There are people, children, families that are down on their luck and they're being assualted? They're not bothing anybody. We don't have a law that prosecutues people for that?," said Councilman Waniewski.

Video that was posted on YouTube.com in 2008, which has since been removed, showed disgusting acts of some people attacking homeless people throughout the downtown district. One video clip showed someone urinating on a homeless man while another clip showed someone spray-painting another homeless person.

"These are people who have a lot of needs and I think the law should protect them," said Council President Joe McNamara.

During Tuesday evening's session, council passed a resolution asking the legislature in Columbus to classify attacks on the homeless as hate crimes, which could mean stiffer penalties.

"When we run into a friend who has had his jaw wired shut, arm broken, ribs broken and you ask him what happened, he tells you he doesn't know," said Ken Leslie, who represents 1Matters. "He was sitting on the bench and a couple of kids jumped him. A lot of those crimes go unreported because they think the police won't care."

Council members want to show they care, and hope those in Columbus care as well.

"Can we move the state lawmakers a long a little bit, to get them to pass something which really makes it a penalty to begin with and hopefully a tough penalty," said Councilman Waniewski.

"To those who desire to harm the weakest among us, they will hear in our community it will not stand," Leslie added.

The resolution coincides with the 20th anniversary of Tent City Oct. 30 - Nov. 1 at the Civic Center Mall in Downtown Toledo. It's an annual event to help the area homeless.