Homeless selfies hit Cambridge

People are taking selfies with the homeless. And it’s disgraceful.

alex davis Cambridge cambridge tab cava homeless homeless charity homeless selfies Market Square

A controversial new Tumblr trend has reached Cambridge: taking selfies with homeless people.

‘Selfies With Homeless People’ collates tweets and Instagram posts, in which young people are seen posing next to homeless individuals.

One such post appears to have been taken near Market Square, although it is not clear if the two girls posing are students.

Insulting or just a bit of banter?

The user tagged the post with #cambridge #homelessguy #gavehimcava

Other posts have had a nastier undertone, however.

What a dick

Reactions to the trend have been mixed. One Tumblr user complained:

“‘Selfies with Homeless People’ Is The Latest Vile Teen Trend To Get Its Own Tumblr”

Pretty vile…

But others have seen the funny side. A second year Caius student told us:

“It’s just a bit of fun and I actually think it raises awareness of issues surrounding homelessness, particularly in Cambridge where dozens of people sleep rough every night.”

The Tumblr account appears to recognise its controversial nature and in a note states:

“ANGRY? May we suggest donating to City Harvest, Habitat for Humanity, or any other fine organisation that helps the homeless.”

Are selfies with homeless people insulting or just a bit of fun? Let us know in the comments below.