For opponents of the health pass and measures to stem the Covid-19 epidemic, an unacceptable milestone has been taken in recent days in Germany. A Santa Claus would have been arrested there by the police… because he was not wearing a mask.
This is in any case what many Internet users relaying the same sequence say, like Florian Philippot, president of the Patriots movement: “The German police are arresting Santa Claus manu militari in the middle of the street because he do not wear a mask! The covidists are out of humanity! How can we make this country, in the process of returning before our eyes to its old demons, an ally? ! “
The German police arrest Santa Claus manu militari in the middle of the street because he is not wearing a mask! The covidists are out of humanity!
➡️ How can we make this country, in the process of returning before our eyes to its old demons, an ally ?! https://t.co/UaPTfEsZKB– Florian Philippot (@f_philippot) December 14, 2021
We see, in a public square, police officers discussing in German for about thirty seconds with a man dressed in a Santa Claus costume. The latter is then escorted, hands behind his back, by the police. The scene arouses boos from the audience, which redouble in intensity when the costumed man, who visibly refuses to move forward, is finally carried by two of the agents.
FAKE OFF
This video is not only a great success in France: it is also relayed on social networks with a caption written in English. In particular by an Internet user who published it from Monday, December 13 in the evening, saying: “No Christmas this year! German police arrested Santa Claus. “
Contacted by 20 minutes, this Twitter user indicates “having received it from a friend” and specifies that the sequence was filmed “in a Christmas market [du Land de] Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania over the weekend ”.
In fact, the police of this federal state published a press release on Tuesday detailing the circumstances of this arrest… which had no connection with the non-wearing of the mask. ” This Monday [13 décembre], rallies took place in Stralsund, Ribnitz-Damgarten and Bergen auf Rügen, which led to police interventions ”, indicates this text in the preamble, while demonstrations by opponents of health restrictions are increasing in the country these recent weeks despite the ban on public gatherings, as reported by our colleagues from DW.
A Santa who hasn’t been hired by the local Christmas market
“At around 6 pm, around 65 people carrying placards and candles gathered in the old market in Stralsund without announcing themselves. These people were visibly expressing their opinions against the current anti-Covid measures and against compulsory vaccination […]. Police officers from Stralsund and Grimmen police stations noted the identities of those present, […] a [regroupement] not declared constituting an offense for those responsible under the law on assemblies, ”the statement continued.
The local police then evoke the specific case of the man at the heart of the viral video: “Among those present, there was also a person disguised as Santa Claus. Police were also surprised to see that Santa Claus was breaking the law and was also expressing his opinion through a poster. The 47-year-old from Stralsund was clearly a player in the rally. He was not hired as Santa Claus in the Christmas market in this city. “
And the police added, about “this man […] already suspected of having committed several violations of the law on assemblies “:” The latter refused to give his name and therefore had to be accompanied to the radio patrol car in order to establish his identity […]. As part of the investigation, a complaint was filed against the 47-year-old German for suspected resistance to agents and insults. Once the identity of the man was known, he was released around 7.15 p.m. and is now free again. “
