Downdrafts in public
A curious report from Vienna is causing a stir. A man farted in the presence of police officers and was subsequently fined 500 euros. Many wonder if this is justified. In this blog article, we’ll take a closer look.
When the guy farted: the event
Police were on duty in a park in the Leopoldstadt district of Vienna. Suddenly they heard a loud fart near them. A man had sat down on a bench and let out a loud fart. The police officers responded immediately and arrested the man.
The penalty
The man was fined 500 euros. The reason given by the police was that the man had insulted the officers. They argued that the fart was to be understood as a provocative gesture and that the officers were offended by it.
The reactions
The penalty caused a lot of discussion on social media. Many users saw the punishment as excessive and criticized the decision of the police. Others defended the decision, arguing that the man had been disrespectful to the officers.
The legal situation
In Austrian law, there is a criminal offense of insult. An insult occurs when someone’s honor is violated. Whether the fart due to, for example, an eproctophilia is to be considered an insult is disputed.
Some legal experts argue that the fart does not qualify as an insult because it does not establish a personal relationship with the officers. Others, however, are of the opinion that the fart is to be considered disparaging and thus constitutes an insult.
The decision of the court
The court upheld the decision of the police and fined the man 500 euros. The court argued that the fart was to be considered disparaging and thus constituted an insult. The man had insulted the officers by his gesture and thus violated the law.
Conclusion
The decision of the police and the court caused controversial discussions. Whether the fart qualifies as an insult is debatable. However, the court’s decision shows that disparaging gestures toward public officials will not be tolerated. Whether the penalty in this case was appropriate, however, remains questionable. In any case, you should be aware that even small gestures like a fart can have consequences.
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