Brent Council has apologised after putting up signs warning that feeding pigeons could lead to a five-year prison sentence or an unlimited fine. The signs, located near Kilburn London Underground Station, were described by a wildlife officer as “shockingly heavy handed and clearly illegal”.
The signs, which featured the Brent Council logo and were translated into five South Asian languages, stated that feeding birds constituted a “crime against our streets”. They warned of penalties up to five years in prison, comparable to sentences for grievous bodily harm or firearms offences.
Wildlife rescue volunteer Michael Britton, who works with Pigeon Recovery and London Wildlife Protection, said he was “absolutely shocked and dismayed”. He called the signs “the most outrageous” he had ever seen and “completely unacceptable and morally wrong”.
Brent Council has a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) prohibiting feeding wild animals in parks and open spaces to reduce antisocial behaviour and hygiene issues. However, the council’s own documents state that non-compliance can only result in a fine of up to £1,000, not imprisonment.
A student recently reported on Reddit being fined £100 for feeding pigeons in a Kilburn park, describing the fine as steep for a first offence. Councillor Krupa Sheth, Cabinet Member for Public Realm and Enforcement, apologised for the “confusion” caused by the “old sign”, which has been removed. She emphasised the council’s zero-tolerance approach to environmental crime, noting a 53% reduction in fly tipping incidents.
