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These signs sometimes read Keep the Change–Don’t Support Panhandling! or No Loitering on the Median!
The city of Milwaukee posts signs at highway intersections where people who are homeless and/or are otherwise in need often ask drivers to spare some change. These signs make the legality of police telling them to leave, ticketing or arresting them much easier, since it’s posted that they’re not allowed to be there. They also add to a culture of anti-homelessness and anti-poor that this city has certainly been escalating recently, with the upcoming DNC and the ongoing gentrification of certain areas.
It’s important to note that loitering laws came into being to stop POC from occupying public space, to emphasize their lack of welcome into public society. Damaging these signs costs the city money and lets people know who’s welcome on our streets.