Police in Germany arrested a man wearing a Santa Claus suit for reportedly refusing to show authorities his identification.
The 47-year-old man was taken away by law enforcement at a Christmas market in Stralsund, Germany, after protesting the country’s COVID-19 restrictions with around 65 other people. The demonstration in early December was unregistered with the city, which violated local law, Reuters reported Tuesday.
“He was not used as Santa Claus at the Christmas market there,” the Stralsund Police Department said in a statement, according to the outlet. (RELATED: Cops Dressed As Santa And Elf Arrest Suspected Shoplifters, Car Thieves In Undercover California Bust)
Police in Germany say a man in a Santa costume was detained at a Christmas market because he refused to show identification at an unregistered protest. Social media users had falsely claimed he was arrested for not wearing a mask. https://t.co/5A0h4rQ1X8
— AP Fact Check (@APFactCheck) December 14, 2021
A video circulating on social media shows the man dressed in the Santa suit being dragged away from police officers to their patrol car in order to confirm his identity. The man was released more than an hour later after his identity was confirmed by authorities, Reuters reported.
Law enforcement said this was not the first time the 47-year-old was subject to violations, as the man has previously protested Germany’s pandemic measures, according to Reuters.