Making involuntary movements, fidgeting, and talking to yourself are the kinds of things that draw the public’s attention, and next thing you know there’s police or security asking you to leave, writes Kendall Worth. That’s not fair.
““We need to advise you that the people who complained are not feeling comfortable with your behaviour.” Another story by Kendall Worth on the uncalled for harassment by security guards and police of people with mental health issues.
Fairly often poor people in Halifax get stopped by police and private security guards for involuntary behaviour such as fidgeting and staring at people, behaving as if intoxicated, and talking to themselves in public. In a follow up on earlier stories Kendall Worth spoke with people who submitted formal complaints with police, mall management and even the Human Rights commission.
Kendall Worth reports how at times people on Income Assistance who have involuntary body behaviours like fidgeting or talking to themselves but are just minding their own business are being bothered by police or private security guards.”I recently learned of three people who had this happen to them in Halifax. As you will see, one of those three incidents ended up badly,” he writes.
Kendall Worth with a short and sad story about a woman living with developmental disabilities and mental health issues who lost her job and is dreading the day she will have to apply for social assistance.
Kendall Worth investigates involuntary and so-called inappropriate body language, things like fidgeting in public, talking to yourself (in some cases out loud), making big hand movements that make a person look like they are trying to start a fight with someone, or engage in evil-looking facial expressions. He talks to middle and upper class people who don’t really understand, a police officer and the people who actually do those types of things.