Heroin addicts demonstrate against new playground
Heroin addicts in Dundee are protesting against the loss of their traditional gathering place after the local council turned it into a children’s playground.
For years the patch of barren land behind the vandalised lock-up garages had been home to heroin and crack addicts, prostitutes, pimps and drug pushers. But the site was cleared last year and the council have now opened a colourful children’s playground and one o’clock club.
‘This place used to be really special. I took heroin here as a kid, and my father before me, whoever he was,’ said heroin and crack addict ‘Skez’.
‘Me and the guys used to crap and puke here, we’d pick fights with each other and then forget what we were fighting about. It was littered with used needles, old condoms and cotton swabs but now look at it. Red and yellow slides and swings and climbing frames with safety matting underneath. It breaks my heart to see it like this.’
Some of the addicts attempted to continue shooting up on the site but claim they were made to feel unwelcome by the newcomers. ‘It’s as if the council and everyone are saying ‘we’d rather see children and young mums than drug addicts and prostitutes’ said Skez, adding ‘Can you spare any change?’
A spokesman for the council commented ‘This site was cleared over a year ago, but the drug addicts have only just realised.’
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Posted: Sep 27th, 2006 by NewsBiscuit
