I just noticed an article about the extension of a ban on feeding pigeons at Trafalgar square http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/6986166.stm. If you haven't ever been to London and seen the square you wouldn't realize what a hazard the pigeon population is. I have seen people hit by the birds as hundreds of them come swooping to where someone has dropped a piece of bread or cake. Even worse is seeing a stunned pigeon that has been hit by a car flopping in the street (they are so numerous and traffic is so constant that there are dozens of instances of this each day). I can understand why they are instituting the ban. What interests me in the news report is the line, "but protesters continued to feed pigeons and other birds on its north terrace."
Why would anyone protest by feeding pigeons? Even more amazing is that they are protesting by feeding the birds in a place where it is perfectly legal to do so - what kind of a protest is that? How can anyone feel brave about not taking any chances? And more importantly - how can you feel like you are doing something important by encouraging pigeons to congregate in such huge numbers that they are prime targets for disease and get hit by cars?
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