Homeless man whose sleeping bag was cruelly soaked with dirty water and ‘bleach’ by a McDonald’s security guard says he couldn’t sleep because his bedding was so wet as he demands an apology from fast food chain

A homeless man whose sleeping bag was soaked in dirty water and “bleach” by a McDonald’s security guard said he couldn’t sleep because his bedding was so wet he demanded an apology

Aaron McCarthy was sitting outside the Nationwide bank branch next door to McDonald’s on Victoria Street in London on Saturday night when security guards working for the fast food chain asked him to leave.

Footage uploaded to social media showed one of them splashing water with a mop on the ground near where the 25-year-old was sitting, prompting a furious reaction from passersby.

Recalling the incident on Saturday night with his still wet sleeping bag, Mr McCarthy, from Limerick in Ireland, said: Sun: “They do it on purpose to keep the homeless out, but they wipe that part out, which isn’t even their business. They can’t do this.

“I couldn’t even sleep that night because my things were wet. Some of them are still wet. There was bleach in this water. It was cold water and winter. I could have died.

Footage posted on social media shows a man in a colorful jacket shamelessly spraying the area where Aaron McCarthy is camping.

McDonald’s has since apologized for the incident that occurred at X today and said workers hired through a third party have already been fired from the restaurant.

Recalling the incident on Saturday night with his still-wet sleeping bag, Mr McCarthy said: “They do it on purpose to keep the homeless out, but they wipe that part down, which isn’t even their business. They can’t do this’

Mr McCarthy, who called the guard “heartless”, said he has post-traumatic stress disorder and has had trouble sleeping since he was 18. Describing his life as “fucking hard”, he said he he was stabbed, had his head smashed with bricks, and was robbed while he slept.

He said he receives £700 a month for personal independence and his Universal Credit had recently been reduced. The Irishman said he ended up on the streets due to mental health problems and struggled to find accommodation.

Mr McCarthy, who has lived in the Victoria area for the past few years, previously spoke to The Telegraph.

Addressing the guard, he said: “I told them I was near a bank, not a McDonald’s, so I had nothing to do with them, but then one of them came out with a bucket of bleach water and I smelled it.

“The guy started washing the floor and throwing my things into the water. It was disgusting.

“I had to leave because it was very stressful and I barely slept all night because my bed linen was wet. My blanket still smells like bleach.

Footage posted on social media showed a security guard spraying the area where Mr McCarthy was camping.

He can be heard saying, “Leave me alone,” as his belongings are thrown out of the way.

Passersby can be heard describing the situation as “outrageous” and “out of order.”

As the scene becomes increasingly hostile, a security guard can be seen leaving the restaurant and asking Mr McCarthy: “Why are you causing trouble?”

But the crowd quickly rushes to his defense, with the man filming the video insisting: “What do you mean by causing trouble?”

“The guy just doused his sleeping bag with water. It’s winter now! It’s outrageous.

Damon Evans, who posted the footage on X, tagged McDonald’s and asked: “Do you think it’s acceptable for your employees to soak the sleeping bags of homeless people in the middle of winter (or any other time of year)?”

“Disgusting behavior. He wasn’t even outside your premises.

McDonald’s said it was “shocked and saddened” by the incident and has since permanently removed “third-party security guards” from its restaurants.

McDonald’s said it was “shocked and saddened” by the incident and had permanently removed “outside security” from its restaurant.

A spokesman told MailOnline: “We are shocked and saddened by this incident.

“The third party security guards involved have been permanently removed from our restaurants and the restaurant team have been reminded of the importance of treating all people, including vulnerable people, with respect, both within the restaurant and in the wider community.

“We would like to sincerely apologize to the gentleman in the video and will work with the council to find him and make amends as part of our ongoing support for charities and homelessness organizations across London.”