WhatsApp suggested as remedy against beggars, undesired street sellers and commissioners
A district Police Department in Istanbul has established a WhatsApp group with hoteliers on the historical peninsula under the direction of a police chief. The solution for hotel owners who are concerned about the increase in beggars, fake perfumers, street instrumentalists, commissioners who have been bothering tourists throughout Istanbul recently, has come from Fatih Security Department. It is reported that the Fatih district police department has established a WhatsApp group with hoteliers on the historic peninsula under the direction of a police chief.
Hoteliers share photos and videos of peddlers and beggars disturbing tourists, along with photos showing their locations. Thus, police teams who receive instructions from the police department come to the scene and immediately intervene in the situation.
It is reported that there are about 4 thousand hotels throughout Istanbul. Most of them are on the historic peninsula. In this region, beggars, fake perfume sellers, peddlers trying to sell water, paint, toys, commissioners, street musicians have been a disturbance for tourists (and hoteliers, consequently) for quite a while. The worst part is they do not go when refused by the tourist; they continue play the so-called violin, accordion, although they are asked “to stop it and leave alone”.
They even follow for 200-300 meters and are usually foreign nationals, especially Syrians.
Upon complaints by hoteliers a “WhatsApp team was formed by the police chief and hoteliers”. There are about 30 hoteliers included in the group.
An information flow of 24 hours a day is available from all hotels. The police chief in the group directs the teams. In 10 minutes, teams are expected to come and intervene. It’s been a month since this application was put into practice.
