Rules regarding street begging

In future, certain street begging practices and begging in specific areas is prohibited in the city of Basel.

Forbidden practices

• Organized, or systematic, begging is prohibited; equally it is prohibited to send out other persons to beg on the street and to use deceptive methods when begging (such as feigning injury or disability).
• It is prohibited to beg in an intrusive or aggressive manner.

Local restrictions

It is prohibited to beg in public spaces and in areas that are generally accessible to the public in a manner that puts public safety, peace, and order at risk. This includes:

• Begging within five metres of the entrance to stations, shops, banks, post offices, museums, theatres, cinemas, restaurants, office and residential buildings, as well as public buildings and institutions.
• Begging within five metres of bus and tram stops and ship landing places as well as around ATMs, payment and ticket machines, and parking metres.
• Begging on markets as well as within five metres of sales stalls and open food and drink stalls.
• Begging in public parks, gardens, cemeteries, playgrounds, schools, subways and within five metres of the entrance to subways.

People who do not observe these rules, may be punished by fine. 

In addition, there are further rules that need to be followed:

• It is prohibited to send out children to beg and to beg in the company of children.
• Public spaces (parks, streets, green areas) may not be used for repeated overnight camping nor for the storage of objects and belongings.
• It is prohibited to urinate and defecate in a public space.
• Last but not least, littering (discarding small waste) is also prohibited.