London Mayor Boris Johnson has slammed the installation of metal studs outside a block of luxury flats in London's Southwark.
The 'anti-homeless' spikes were reportedly installed to deter homeless people from sleeping in the alcove near the entrance.
Johnson labelled the spikes as "ugly, self defeating & stupid" over Twitter, joining a chorus of online users who have condemned the spikes.
A photo of the studs was uploaded to Twitter over the weekend by local resident Andrew Horton, 33. He said he took the picture of the flats on Southwark Bridge Road as he walked to work last Wednesday.
"I can't say for certain but it certainly looked like they were placed there to deter homeless people. It's dreadful," he told The Telegraph.
The photo went viral on Twitter and sparked criticisms from users.
Harriet Wells, the organiser of the petition, wrote: "We should be looking after our vulnerable population not ostracising them by moving them to places that are less intrusive to our lives, so that they are out of sight."
Southwark Council is distancing itself from the controversy, claiming that it didn't install the studs and that there was little they could to do to remove them.
Leader of the council Peter John told The Guardian: "Southwark council is aware of concerns raised regarding the installation of spikes outside a privately owned building on Southwark Bridge Road to prevent rough sleeping.
"The council can look into health and safety or planning concerns that are reported to us. With regards to people sleeping rough the council has a dedicated officer who works closely with organisations like St Mungo's [a homelessness charity], who have a 'no second night out' policy to ensure rough sleepers are found shelter and support."
Despite the outrage, some aren't convinced the studs are a problem.
What do you think about the use of 'anti-homeless' spikes?
