7/11 stores blare classical music outside stores because homeless people 'find opera annoying' 

7-Eleven stores are blaring out classical music to deter homeless people from loitering outside because the vagrants 'find opera annoying'.

Opera singing has been booming outside a store in Austin, Texas, and at multiple locations in California where the Democrat-run cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco are gripped by homelessness crises.

Store owners have turned to Pavarotti and Beethoven to keep their shops safe, claiming that it irritates homeless people who harass and assault their customers.

Jagat Patel, who owns a 7-Eleven in the Riverside neighborhood of Austin, told Fox 7: 'Studies have shown that the classical music is annoying. Opera is annoying, and I'm assuming they are correct because it's working'.

A speaker on top of the roof blares classical music to deter homeless people from gathering outside the store in the Riverside neighborhood of Austin

Jagat Patel, who owns a 7-Eleven in the Riverside neighborhood of Austin, said : 'Studies have shown that the classical music is annoying. Opera is annoying, and I'm assuming they are correct because it's working'.

A man sitting on the ground nearby to the store in Austin, Texas. Since the measure was introduced, customers say they have noticed less people congregating outside

The sonic deterrent has been used by 7-Eleven stores in California since at least 2019.

It is not clear whether classical music in particular annoys loiterers, or whether its volume keeps them away.

Studies on the London Underground have shown that violence in stations was reduced by a third when classical music was played.

Patel started using the measure to deter homeless people who he said attacked and harassed customers.

He said that he was particularly concerned for women and young people at his store.

'Especially a lot of my female customers and my young customers are scared to come here, because there are people constantly hanging out in the parking lot soliciting for money', Patel said.

However, not all the customers are happy with the music.

Austin resident Jessica Cohen who frequently shops at the 7-Eleven on Riverside, told KXAN: 'I was just astounded by how loud it was. Annoying, this early in the morning. Not that I don't love classical music, but this is just rude.'

But she added that since the music started she has noticed fewer people hanging out in front of the store. 

The practice was introduced at a 7-Eleven in North Hollywood four years ago to prevent vagrants from congregating.

Sandra Andrade, a 7-Eleven store clerk, said at the time: 'Now it's very busy, its more busy since the music and there are less homeless people'.

Another store owner Sukhi Sandhu, told The Modesto Bee that he began playing opera and classical music last year in an effort to drive out panhandlers.

'Once the music started, the riffraff left,' Manuel Souza told the paper. 'It's hard to hang out and gossip and joke around.'

A group of 7-Eleven stores in Canada is credited with being the first to use the method to discourage antisocial behavior in 1985, when they played Mozart and Beethoven to disperse crowds of teenagers in their parking lots. 

Different genres of music are known to effect people's moods, with classical music linked to dopamine which can be soothing to listeners.

However, younger people may find the sound irritating.

In West Palm Beach, Florida, catchy children's songs including Baby Shark and Raining Tacos have been used to deter homeless people sleeping near one luxury venue.

The Waterfront Lake Pavilion, which can be rented for $250 to $500 per hour, employed the deterrent to keep rough sleepers off its patio.