OPINION

Safety a necessity

Can the state allow refugees to live in abandoned buildings that do not comply with hygiene and safety standards? Can it turn its back on the owners of buildings that have been turned into squats and on public property that is being trespassed on?

Criticism against the police that the force is focusing its energies on evacuating squats rather than cracking down on drugs and other crimes in the city center appears somewhat contrived.

Lesser crimes need to dealt with in tandem with more serious ones.

The argument that greater police intervention is not enough to deal with the root causes of such problems is also insufficient because, while true, it ignores the fact that safety and security are instrumental in improving our cities and in spurring growth.

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