French town removes anti-homeless bench cages

ANGOULEME, France, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Officials in a French town said they have decided to take down the cages erected around public benches to prevent homeless people from sleeping on them.

The city of Angouleme installed cages around public benches on Christmas Eve, a move welcomed by some shopkeepers who said homeless people hanging around the benches had been bad for business.

Officials said the cages were also aimed at keeping drug dealers and alcoholics from using the benches.

The local council, led by the right-leaning party UMP, said the benches "are almost exclusively used by people who consume alcohol on a regular basis everyday."

The installations sparked outrage in the community, with two teens climbing inside a cage to protest the move.

Angouleme Mayor Xavier Bonnefont said the benches have now been removed, but a permanent decision on the fate of the benches will not be made until next month.

"We will continue to reflect on this in January with the shopkeepers and the residents of Champs de Mars square, in order to find a satisfactory solution," the mayor said.

Bonnefont said the cages would have eventually been filled with local rocks as a public art installation.