Church to Quit Spraying Homeless

A San Francisco Catholic church vowed to remove a sprinkler system reportedly used to repel homeless people sleeping in the building’s doorways after a KCBS report on the practice sparked backlash on Wednesday. The San Francisco Archdiocese has apologized for the “misunderstood” and “ill-conceived” method used at Saint Mary’s Cathedral. According to KCBS, “water pours from a hole in the ceiling, about 30 feet above, drenching the alcove” where homeless people tend to gather. “The idea was not to remove those persons, but to encourage them to relocate to other areas of the cathedral, which are protected and safer,” said Bishop William Justice. “It actually has had the opposite effect from what it was intended to do, and for this we are very sorry.” Bishop Justice added the church would work to remove the system by the end of the day.