Editing Squeegee man (section)

==By country==

===Canada===
In [[Toronto]], [[Vancouver]], [[Calgary]], and [[Winnipeg]], they are known as squeegee kids and they are mostly tolerated, since they are considered to be working for money, rather than begging.  In [[Montreal]], they are often called squeegee punks,<ref>{{cite web |title=A comedy of infractions |url=http://www.montrealmirror.com/ARCHIVES/1998/062598/news7.html |work=[[Montreal Mirror]] |author=Jacquie Charlton |accessdate = 2008-04-07}}</ref> in reference to their appearance, or simply squeegees.<ref>{{cite web |title=Squeegee |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg0XQRDRi-M  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/Fg0XQRDRi-M |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|work=[[YouTube]] | date=September 25, 2007 |language=fr |accessdate = 2007-09-25}}{{cbignore}} Video of squeegee punks in the streets of Montreal.</ref> In 1999, the [[Ontario]] government passed the [[Safe Streets Act]], outlawing squeegee kids and aggressive public begging. The Government of British Columbia has adopted a word for word version of the Ontario Safe Street Act. Squeegee kids have become scarce in Toronto, Ontario and Vancouver, BC, as police frequently stop them and check their identities for outstanding arrest warrants.

In 2011, then Deputy Mayor of Toronto [[Doug Holyday]] told the ''[[Toronto Sun]]'' that there was the will in council to step up action against panhandlers, including squeegee kids;<ref>{{cite news|last=Levy|first=Sue-Ann|title=Buddy can you spare a crime|url=http://www.torontosun.com/2011/06/01/buddy-can-you-spare-a-crime|accessdate=7 June 2011|newspaper=Toronto Sun|date=1 June 2011|location=Toronto ON}}</ref> the proposition was mocked by some media, given the previous efforts, and the suggestion that the homeless would have to pay fines.<ref>{{cite news|last=McGrath|first=John Michael|title=Doug Holyday wants to fight panhandling—also, party—like it's 1999|url=http://www.torontolife.com/daily/informer/the-old-normal/2011/06/03/doug-holyday-wants-to-fight-panhandling%E2%80%94also-party%E2%80%94like-it%E2%80%99s-1999/|access-date=7 June 2011|newspaper=Toronto Life|date=3 June 2011|location=Toronto ON|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606041155/http://www.torontolife.com/daily/informer/the-old-normal/2011/06/03/doug-holyday-wants-to-fight-panhandling%E2%80%94also-party%E2%80%94like-it%E2%80%99s-1999/|archive-date=6 June 2011}}</ref>

=== New Zealand ===
In New Zealand, window washing mostly occurs in [[Auckland]], particularly [[Manukau]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Williamson |first=Jarred |date=27 November 2017 |title=New law putting some window washers off, but it isn't going away |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/99081312/new-law-putting-some-window-washers-off-but-it-isnt-going-away |access-date=17 October 2024 |website=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] }}</ref> Window washers are considered "dangerous" and "frustrating" by drivers and Manukau Police.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-11-28 |title=Crack-down on window washers |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/motorists-frustrated-over-dangerous-window-washers/TVKKL65NSG4URLHMGKUDJSNH6Y/ |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |language=en-NZ}}</ref> In 2017, the activity was outlawed by the Land Transport Amendment Act.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Land Transport Amendment Act 2017 No 34, Public Act 108 Amendment to Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004 – New Zealand Legislation |url=https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2017/0034/latest/DLM7387503.html#DLM7387501 |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=www.legislation.govt.nz}}</ref> The law's effectiveness has been questioned, as five years after it was enacted, the 2157 people that had been caught window washing were generally not deterred, and only six had paid fines.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-06-22 |title=Police dish out 596 fines to window washers |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/police-dish-out-596-fines-to-window-washers-around-country-since-law-came-into-force-last-august-call-on-public-to-stop-paying-them/SMN6QW2BS34ABA4N2M3VGTPOIE/ |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |language=en-NZ}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mayron |first=Sapeer |date=5 January 2023 |title=Only six people have paid fines for car window washing in five years |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/130454248/only-six-people-have-paid-fines-for-car-window-washing-in-five-years |access-date=17 October 2024 |website=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] }}</ref>

===United Kingdom===
[[London]]ers, and perhaps others, extend the appellation to include those who roam in the midst of stopped traffic to not only wash windscreens, but also hawk items such as roses and newspapers. For this reason, they are sometimes called squeegee merchants.{{Citation needed|date=March 2019}}

===United States===
In [[New York City]] in the 1980s, the usual procedure would involve groups of squeegee men surrounding cars stopped in traffic. Although some merely provided a service, in other cases the windshield-washing would be carried out without asking, often perfunctorily, and with subsequent demands for money, sometimes with added threats of smashing the car's windshield. Upon his election, mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]] famously sought to remove squeegee men from the streets<ref>Kevin Drum, ''America's Real Criminal Element: Lead'' January/February 2013 Issue, "[https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2013/01/lead-crime-link-gasoline]", visited 8 Jan 2013</ref> as part of his quality-of-life campaign, claiming that their near-ubiquitous presence created an environment of disorder that encouraged more serious crime to flourish. Squeegee men disappeared from city streets during Giuliani's mayoralty and did not reappear in significant numbers.

Squeegee men were among the first targeted by Mayor [[Rudolph Giuliani]] and Commissioner [[William Bratton]]. In his book ''[[Leadership (book)|Leadership]]'', Giuliani explained that his method of removing the squeegee men from the street involved arresting them. Patrolmen who first made the arrests saw that the squeegee men were released immediately, because according to the New York penal code at the time, cleaning someone's windshield was not illegal. Giuliani told the officers that if they saw any more squeegee men they should simply arrest them for [[jaywalking]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Giuliani's Legacy: Taking Credit For Things He Didn't Do |url=http://www.gothamgazette.com/commentary/91.barrett.shtml |work=[[Gotham Gazette]] |author=Wayne Barrett}}</ref>

Squeegee men (or "squeegee boys" for younger examples) remain prevalent in Baltimore, Maryland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/baltimore-squeegee-kids-find-work-risks-cash-stoplights-69304846|title=Baltimore squeegee kids find work, risks, cash at stoplights|website=ABC News}}</ref>