Alderman urges fines for feeding pigeons

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CHICAGO, Dec. 16 (UPI) -- Chicago Alderman James Cappelman says he wants to double the penalty for people who feed pigeons to a maximum of $1,000 and six months in jail.

Cappelman isn't enamored of Chicago's ubiquitous birds and WBBM-TV reported Thursday he's not alone.

"They're a nuisance. They're everywhere. You know, you could stand there waiting on the bus and they're all over your feet," Bobby Williams told the Chicago TV station while standing outside the Wilson train stop. "I think it should be illegal to feed them."

Cappelman is known for having his staff regularly sweep breadcrumbs tossed onto city streets. Once, he even was physically attacked by a woman when he started to clean up the breadcrumbs she put out for the birds.

But not everyone agrees cracking down on pigeon-feeders should be a high priority for city officials.

"They're gonna arrest someone for feeding a bird?" Lily Norton said. "That's kind of ridiculous."

Oliver Guyton called Cappelman's efforts "silly."

"He should be focusing on other problems," Guyton said. "Like the budget and all that type of stuff that aldermen do."