Janesville police remove benches, tables to curb ‘antisocial’ downtown disruption

JANESVILLE, Wis. (WTVO) — Janesville Police are removing picnic tables and benches from local parks due to “aggressive panhandling, harassment, vandalism,” and other disruptive behaviors.

Police said the fixtures were removed from Firehouse Park, 109 N. Main Street, and Volunteer Park, 225 N. Main Street, on Tuesday morning.

Authorities claim the removal is a temporary measure, meant to address “ongoing antisocial behavior” in the broader downtown community.

Police said officers have responded to 1,110 incidents in the area this year, compared to 15,065 citywide in the same period.

“It’s important to emphasize that this strategy was not implemented simply because persons experiencing homelessness were using these parks. Rather, it specifically targets a small group of individuals—some experiencing homelessness and others not—whose aggressive and harassing conduct has created fear and discomfort for those who live, work, and visit our downtown,” police said in a statement.