I’ve been in London for seven years now, so really nothing comes as a surprise anymore in terms of unusual characters you’d find on the street, public transport and so on.

I’ve however been finding it increasingly difficult to deal with homeless people. Normally, when approached by them when leaving grocery stores, I would go back in, getting them a meal deal or something simple of their liking (I would not give them cash because I never have it and do not feel safe withdrawing with them standing by my side). Lately, however, their requests have become more of demands and their attitude borderline abusive.

Just a couple of hours ago (in broad daylight, somewhere central), the same situation described above repeated itself: I was approached being asked to help them, so I went back inside to get them some food, he came in saying he wanted cigarettes and alcohol, to which I replied I would not get. He stormed out shouting and insulting me, while I was about to pay for a meal deal. When I too went back outside, he threw a plastic bottle of water towards my face missing me by inches. I just kept walk away hoping he would not become aggressive or worse. I fear he could have easily had a knife and in a slightly worse mental state he could have assaulted me; he was really distressed.

What could I have done differently? How could I have prevented this from escalating? Is anybody else experiencing this lately?