The man was flashed in January 2020. He was speeding ‘only’ 10 km/h, but when officers saw him raising his middle finger at them, they filed a complaint for insult. The Ratingen court agreed and sentenced the driver to a fine of 1,200 euros. He thereby multiplied the fine of the offender by a factor of sixty.
Police used the photo this week to point out the lack of respect for police officers, rescuers and firefighters. “We believe that everyone deserves respect. Not only police officers, but also our employees during the speed measurements,” according to a statement Facebook message from the police. In the same report, the police complained about damaged radar measuring equipment and motorists arguing with controlling colleagues and sometimes physically attacking and injuring them.
In April 2020, a driver in Upper Franconia, Germany, was also heavily fined for raising his middle finger at agents. He drove his BMW 11 km/h too fast, but thanks to his insulting gesture, he also had to appear in court. The court also found the insult proven in this case. The man was fined 1500 euros and a driving ban of one month.
In the Netherlands, a fine of 600 euros is easily imposed for insulting a civil servant in office. However, the maximum penalty is 6 months, or a fine of up to 8300 euros. When harming the honor or reputation of a police officer, the penalty can be increased by a third to 8 months or an overall fine of 11,000 euros.
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