A video of a business owner in San Francisco spraying a homeless woman with water after she refused to move has sparked condemnation from the local community.
The video, which has gone viral online, shows Collier Gwin, the owner of a local art gallery, casually standing in front of a homeless woman spraying her with water from a hose.
The victim is heard screaming and trying to deflect the stream of water away from her belongings.
The video was posted by Brioche Cafe which said "only in San Francisco, no respect."
The video was filmed outside Barbarossa Lounge and the owner Arash Ghanadan told CBS the woman had been there for a few days and they as well as Gwin had been trying to get assistance for her to move on.
He condemned the blasting of the woman with water.
"Barbarossa is in no way associated with the inhumane actions portrayed in the video. Upon investigation, it appears that the actions are those of a neighboring business owner.
"We are extremely disappointed in this individual's behavior," the statement read.
Gwin told SF Gate he had been trying to move the woman on for weeks and had even filed a complaint with the police but to no avail.
"In that situation, the street was being washed and she refused to move. She started screaming profanities, and becoming very belligerent," he told SF Gate.
The video was widely condemned online with one user saying: "I cannot put into words how disgusting this is."
Another said the blasting was "unbelievably cruel."
Others were more sympathetic, blaming the city's burgeoning homeless problem.
"This is what happens when the city won't or can't do anything. Have to take matters into your own hands."
