A viral TikTok showing unhoused people having a gas grill in Austin, Texas is sparking a debate online. Some people are defending the unhoused people for needing a way to cook food, while others are saying they stole it.
The TikTok was posted by Michael Vince (@mikieaction) on April 11. In the clip, Vince zooms in on the group of unhoused people, including their tents and a gas grill. “Bro, these people got a whole grill out here,” he says in the clip. “They are grilling shit. What the fuck?”
In the caption, Vince hashtags #outofcontrol, #wtf and #smh.
As of Thursday, the TikTok has over 135,800 views.
In the comments, people defended the unhoused people. “That’s for cooking food because they are homeless.”
“No kitchen, they’re in TENTS, gotta improvise bud,” one TikToker commented.
“Your callous ignorance isn’t funny,” another person wrote.
“You blame them, I would go get them some chicken,” commented another TikToker.
“It isn’t ignorance it’s apathy, I honestly don’t give a shit about them or what you think of me,” replied Vince.
Some TikTokers said someone could have given them the grill while others said it was “most likely stolen from someone’s yard.”
In response to this, Vince wrote, “And you’d be surprised on how much these guys steal shit.”
According to the Texas Tribune in 2021, Austin has over 3,000 unhoused residents and lacks shelter space for them. As a result, many set up camp in the woods or by roadsides, yet they risk getting arrested or ticketed.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Vince via TikTok comment.
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