Danish police charge first person for refusing to wear a mask
Ritzau/The Local - [email protected]
Published: 23 Aug, 2020 CET.
Updated: Sun 23 Aug 2020 10:26 CET
Danish police on Saturday night charged the first person for refusing to comply with new rules mandating face masks on public transport.
Rail staff at Odense station called the police at 9.15pm after a 24-year-old man said he was not willing to wear a mask.
"We got a message that they were having problems with someone who would not wear a face mask at the railway station. They reprimand him several times, but he would not put it on," Hans Jørgen Larsen, a duty officer at Funen Police, told the Ritzau newswire.
“When we arrived, our officer on the scene also asked him to put a mask on, but again he refused."
After several attempts to convince him, the officer charged the man, meaning he is likely to receive a fine of 2,500 Danish kroner, and asked him to leave the station.
DSB's information manager, Tony Bispeskov, said that compliance with the rule had improved throughout Saturday.
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"I would think there was a bit of uncertainty and confusion early this morning that meant only nine out of ten remembered it, but now we are approaching ten out of ten because people have clearly accepted it," he said.
The new rule applies to all travellers over the age of 12 in public transport and aims to reduce infection with coronavirus.
The requirement covers passengers in buses, trains, metro, light rail, Flextrafik, at stations and stops, and also covers passengers in taxis.
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Rail staff at Odense station called the police at 9.15pm after a 24-year-old man said he was not willing to wear a mask.
"We got a message that they were having problems with someone who would not wear a face mask at the railway station. They reprimand him several times, but he would not put it on," Hans Jørgen Larsen, a duty officer at Funen Police, told the Ritzau newswire.
“When we arrived, our officer on the scene also asked him to put a mask on, but again he refused."
After several attempts to convince him, the officer charged the man, meaning he is likely to receive a fine of 2,500 Danish kroner, and asked him to leave the station.
DSB's information manager, Tony Bispeskov, said that compliance with the rule had improved throughout Saturday.
READ ALSO:
- Danes shift to mandatory face masks without a hitch
- Denmark’s face mask requirement comes into force: these are the rules you need to know
- Denmark changes face mask guidelines: now advised on busy public transport
"I would think there was a bit of uncertainty and confusion early this morning that meant only nine out of ten remembered it, but now we are approaching ten out of ten because people have clearly accepted it," he said.
The new rule applies to all travellers over the age of 12 in public transport and aims to reduce infection with coronavirus.
The requirement covers passengers in buses, trains, metro, light rail, Flextrafik, at stations and stops, and also covers passengers in taxis.
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