Tuppence a bag

last updated 8 January 2015

London

Feeding the pigeons in Trafalgar Square became illegal this week. Anyone caught scattering bread crumbs or seeds now faces a fine of $85 and possible prosecution. London’s mayor, Ken Livingstone, said he had to take action because droppings from the thousands of pigeons that thronged the square every day had caused more than $230,000 worth of damage to monuments such as Nelson’s Column. He outlawed the licensed feed sellers several months ago; now even freelance seed scatterers are banned from the square. Outraged pigeon lovers said they would continue to feed the birds over on the next block.